RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NUTRITION EDUCATION FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND KNOWLEDGE OF STUNTING PREVENTION AT KALITANJUNG COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER IN CIREBON CITY

Stunting is a public health problem that has a long-term impact on
children's physical growth, brain development and future productivity. The main
cause often starts during pregnancy due to poor maternal nutrition intake and lack
of knowledge about nutrition during pregnancy. In Cirebon City, especially in the
Kalitanjung Health Center working area, the prevalence of stunting is still high,
reaching 12.01% in 2024. Pregnant women's knowledge about nutrition is one of
the important factors in preventing stunting, because a lack of understanding can
lead to inappropriate food choices and inadequate nutritional intake. Kalitanjung
Health Center has implemented a nutrition education program by holding classes
for pregnant women to improve understanding and quality of nutritional intake
during pregnancy.
This study aims to determine the relationship between nutrition education for
pregnant women and knowledge of stunting prevention in the Kalitanjung Health
Center working area. The research design used was descriptive correlation with a
cross-sectional approach, involving 55 pregnant women selected through
purposive sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed
statistically with the Chi-Square test.
The results showed a significant relationship between nutrition education and the
level of knowledge of stunting prevention in pregnant women (p = 0.001 < α =
0.05), where higher knowledge was found in the group of mothers of productive age
and middle to upper education. The implications of this study emphasize the
importance of strengthening and sustaining nutrition education programs,
especially for pregnant women with low educational backgrounds, to support the
sustainable reduction of stunting prevalence in the community.
Keywords: nutrition education, pregnant women, knowledge, stunting
prevention, kalitanjung health center
Bibliography: 56 (2014-2025)