Correlation Between Stunting in Children and Its Determinant Factors: AStudy in Small District on East Java

Abstract

Body length is an important indicator to monitor the growth of children. It is also associated with the incidence of short stature in childhood, which can indicate endocrine dysfunction. The incidence of short stature in Indonesia is still quite large. Factors that play a role in determining the length not only come from internal but also external. The main objective of this study was to assess the child’s growth patterns and their determinant factors.A cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2020 with 167 subjects between 0-5 years old and height z score <-2 SD from nine districts registered at PuskesmasGudo, Jombang. Height, age, and gender were collected to determine z-score, and short stature diagnosis was determined by WHO plotting charts. Exclusive breastfeeding, birth weight, economical and educational status, immunization, and infection history. The collected data then analyzed using the Spearman correlation test by SPSS 17.0 version, the significant value is p<0.005.One hundred and sixty seven children with 98 boys and 69 girls (means of age 32.95 ± 14.64 months old) were recruited. Subjects mean of height-z-score -2.68±0.87, and had significant correlation with exclusive breast feeding(r=-0.54;p<0.001), immunization(r=-0.505;p<0.001) and infection history(r=-505;p<0.001), economic status(r=-0.479;p<0.001), parents educational background(r=-0.173;p=0.026).The height z score in children with short stature has a significant correlation with exclusive breastfeeding, immunization, infection history, economic status, parents educational background.