Peer-reviewed article
Association between maternal age, nutritional status, and toddler stunting
Meidiantri, Adriana Palimbo, Desilestia Dwi Salmarini, Zulliati Salmarini, Raudhatul Rayhannatil Jannah ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined whether a mother's age and nutritional status during pregnancy affect stunting (poor growth) in toddlers in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Researchers collected data from 83 toddlers and their mothers' health records, measuring the mother's arm circumference and the child's height. They found that mothers with chronic energy deficiency (malnutrition) were significantly more likely to have stunted children, but the mother's age made no difference. The findings highlight the importance of improving maternal nutrition to prevent child stunting.
Key points
- Stunting prevalence among toddlers was 26.5% in the study population
- Maternal chronic energy deficiency (MUAC < 23.5 cm) was strongly associated with toddler stunting (87% of children born to malnourished mothers were stunted)
- The association between maternal CED and stunting was statistically significant (p < 0.001)
- Maternal age (20–35 years versus other ages) showed no significant correlation with toddler stunting (p = 0.970)
- 72.3% of mothers in the study had normal nutritional status
Limitations
This is a retrospective cross-sectional study, so it can only show association, not causation, and cannot account for all confounding factors that might influence stunting. The small sample size (83 toddlers) and purposive sampling method limit generalisability beyond this specific health center.
Abstract
Background: Stunting remains a major public health issue in Indonesia, with Central Kalimantan reporting prevalence rates higher than the national. Maternal risk factors—particularly age at pregnancy and nutritional status—are known contributors to stunting, yet their direct influence in regional contexts remains underexplored. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the association between maternal age and maternal nutritional status during pregnancy with the incidence of stunting among toddlers. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analytic study was conducted from August to October 2024, involving 83 toddlers selected via purposive sampling from a population of 481 registered at the health center. Data were collected from maternal and child health handbooks (KIA), focusing on maternal age at pregnancy, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and toddler height-for-age z-scores. Chi-square tests were performed to assess associations between maternal variables and stunting, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. Results: The majority of mothers were aged 20–35 years (74.7%) and had normal nutritional status (72.3%). The prevalence of toddler stunting was 26.5%. A statistically significant association was found between maternal chronic energy deficiency (CED; MUAC < 23.5 cm) and toddler stunting (p < 0.001), with 87% of children born to CED mothers being stunted. However, maternal age showed no significant correlation with stunting (p = 0.970). Conclusion: Maternal nutritional status during pregnancy, specifically CED, is significantly associated with toddler stunting, underscoring the need for targeted maternal nutrition interventions. Maternal age alone was not a significant factor in this cohort, suggesting other confounders may influence child growth.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Identification and targeting of mothers with chronic energy deficiency (malnutrition) as a risk factor for child stunting
- Population
- 83 toddlers and their mothers registered at a health center in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia; 74.7% of mothers aged 20–35 years
Key finding
87% of children born to mothers with chronic energy deficiency (MUAC < 23.5 cm) were stunted