Peer-reviewed article
CHILD PROTEIN SCORE AS AN INDICATOR OF STUNTING RISK
Antun Rahmadi, RR Ratnasari Dyah Purnomowati ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001Stunting affects nearly one in five children in Indonesia. This study tested a new tool called the Child Protein Score to measure protein quality in children's diets and see if it could predict which children are at risk of stunting. Among 109 children aged 6–59 months in North Lampung, stunted children had significantly lower protein scores than non-stunted children. The score proved accurate at identifying stunting risk and could be used in primary health clinics.
Key points
- Stunting prevalence in Indonesia is 19.8%
- Stunted children had lower Child Protein Score (2.4 ± 1.1) compared to non-stunted children (3.9 ± 1.2; p < 0.001)
- ROC analysis showed good discrimination with AUC of 0.79
- Children with protein score ≤3 had 3.3 times higher risk of stunting (OR = 3.30; p = 0.004)
- The tool is practical and could be used as a screening instrument in primary care settings
Limitations
This cross-sectional study shows association but cannot establish causation. The small sample size of 109 children from a single health center limits generalisability to other regions of Indonesia.
Abstract
Stunting remains a major nutrition problem in Indonesia with a prevalence of 19.8% (SSGI, 2024). Protein quality is crucial for linear growth, yet assessments usually focus on intake quantity or diversity rather than biological value. This study aimed to develop and validate the Child Protein Score (SPMB) as a practical tool to assess protein quality and its link to stunting. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 109 children aged 6–59 months in the working area of the Kemalo Abung Public Health Center, North Lampung, using consecutive sampling. The sample consisted of 49 stunted and 60 non-stunted children. Stunting was defined by height-for-age z-score, and SPMB was calculated using a Semi Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (SQ-FFQ). Data were analyzed with chi-square, logistic regression, and ROC curve. Stunted children showed lower SPMB compared to non-stunted (2.4 ± 1.1 vs 3.9 ± 1.2; p < 0.001). ROC analysis yielded an AUC of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71–0.87; p < 0.001) with cut-off ≤3, and logistic regression showed a 3.3-fold higher risk of stunting in children with TFPS ≤3 (OR = 3.30; 95% CI: 1.50–7.50; p = 0.004). The SPMB proved valid, discriminative, and practical, supporting its use as a screening tool for stunting risk in primary care.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Child Protein Score (SPMB) as a screening and assessment tool for protein quality and stunting risk
- Population
- 109 children aged 6–59 months in North Lampung, Indonesia (49 stunted, 60 non-stunted)
Key finding
Stunted children had mean protein score 2.4 ± 1.1 versus 3.9 ± 1.2 in non-stunted children (p < 0.001)