Characteristics Of Nutritional Status Of Toddlers Aged 3-5 Years In Gorontalo

Abstract

This study aims to determine the diet and nutritional status of toddlers aged 3-5 years. This
is because diet greatly affects a person's nutritional state. A good diet can improve
nutritional status. Undernourished conditions occur due to a lack of one or several types of
nutrients that the body needs, on the contrary for a state of overnutrition. The research
method uses a quantitative descriptive approach, with variables including maternal
education, SEZ of pregnant women, infectious diseases of toddlers, birth weight of
toddlers, eating patterns which include food intake and eating frequency and nutritional
status of toddlers. The population of toddlers aged 3-5 years in the working area of PKM
Monano is 476 children, a sample of 217 children under five and taken by purposive
sampling technique. Data analysis used univariate analysis. The results of the study: most
of the mothers had secondary education (SMA) (67.3%), mothers did not experience CED
during pregnancy (86.2%), children under five had no history of infectious diseases
(73.3%) and normal birth weight (96 ,8%). Nutritional status based on the BW/TB index
was mostly good (85.7), the BW/U index was mostly normal weight, (85.7%) and the
TB/U index was mostly normal nutrition (90.8%). Based on food intake, most of them
were sufficient (89.9%) and the frequency of eating was good (94.5%). most children
under five received adequate food intake including energy (73.7%), protein (67.7%), fat
(69.1%) and carbohydrate intake (49.3%). Conclusion: The nutritional status of toddlers 3-
5 years old in the work area of the Monano Health Center is related to characteristics that
include maternal education, chronic energy, infectious diseases in mothers, infectious
diseases of toddlers and birth weight. In addition, food intake for toddlers is sufficient
which includes energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate intake. Meanwhile, the frequency of
eating toddlers often