THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOUSHOLD FOOD MANAGEMENT AND STUNTING INCIDENCE IN THE WORKING AREA OF THE KALIJAGA PERMAI PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER IN CIREBON CITY

Indonesia is one of the countries with a high prevalence of stunting worldwide. In
2023, West Java recorded the highest stunting rate among all provinces. One of the
factors contributing to stunting is the fulfillment of maternal and child nutrition
intake, which largely depends on properly managed food. This study aims to
determine the relationship between household food management and the incidence
of stunting in the working area of Kalijaga Permai Public Health Center in Cirebon
City.
This study employs a cross-sectional approach, measuring the variables of
household food management and stunting simultaneously at a single point in time.
The sample was selected using purposive sampling, with criteria including mothers
and children aged 24–60 months who participated in the Posyandu activities
organized by Kalijaga Permai Public Health Center in March 2025. The research
instruments consisted of questionnaires and observation sheets. Data analysis was
conducted using the Spearman’s rho method with a significance level of α = 0.1.
Ethical approval for this study was granted by the Research Ethics Committee of
ITEKes Mahardika, declaring it “Ethically Feasible.”
The results of this study indicate that the majority of respondent mothers (70.8%)
do not manage household food in accordance with established standards. This
aligns with the fact that most children aged 24 to 60 months in the working area of
Kalijaga Permai Public Health Center, Cirebon City (71.9%) are experiencing
stunting. There is a correlation between household food management and the
incidence of stunting (sig. (2-tailed) = 0.000, correlation coefficient = 0.781).
Household food management is regulated under Ministry of Health Regulation No.
3 of 2014 and Regulation No. 2 of 2023, which outline six key principles that must
be continuously upheld to improve nutritional outcomes.