Determinant Factors Affecting the Nutritional Status of Children in Regional Health Center of Gresik

Preschool children are at risk developing PEM as they are not breastfed and the food consumed may not fuilfill the nutrients need for their progressive growth. Nutritional status of preschool children is indirectly associated to the socioeconomic and hygiene status and directly associated to the level of consumptions and infections. The aims of this research is to analyze the associations between socioeconomic factors, hygiene, level of consumptions, and infections with the nutritional status of preschool children in Gresik District. The result of statistical analysis using the Multiple Linear Regression Test showed that maternal education, knowledge, environmental hygienity and protein energy intake have a significant influence on nutritional status of children, while maternal parenting, URI incident and diarrhea and family income variables have no significant influence on nutritional status. Early detection through intensification monitoring of toddler growth at posyandu, followed by determination of nutritional status by village midwife or other health worker. It is a striving for a dynamic food and environment where monitoring of critical indicators of resources, availability and access to food and nutrition at all levels of society required.