The Promoting Dietary Diversity to Prevent Stunting in Children: an Approach to Empower Mother in Agro-Industrial Areas

Promosi Keragaman Pangan untuk Mencegah Stunting pada Anak: Pendekatan Pemberdayaan Ibu di Kawasan Agroindustri

Abstract

Stunting in agro-industrial areas is a complex problem, because the fulfillment of child nutrition is often not in line with the potential of local food resources. The implementation of community service by empowering mothers aims to increase knowledge about food diversity for stunting prevention. The activity was carried out through education for 20 mothers with children after 0-2 years, and involved cadres, as well as village officials, in Pohjentrek District, Pasuruan. The measurement of changes in knowledge before and after education was conducted using a knowledge questionnaire on stunting and food diversity, and analyzed with a one-group t-test. The results showed a significant increase in the mean knowledge score of 4,7 between the groups before and after education (p=0.000; α=0.05). Increased knowledge of mothers about food diversity is expected to overcome micronutrient deficiencies that often occur in stunting conditions. Community empowerment, especially mothers as child caregivers, is an effort by nurses to prevent stunting in children. Nurses can collaborate with other health workers and experts in sectors such as economics, social, and environmental sanitation for a more holistic problem-solving approach.