NUTRITION FOR HEALTH PROBLEMS

These health problems are the result of various factors that happened in the past. These factors include poor nutritional intake, repeated infections with infectious diseases, premature birth, and low birth weight (LBW). This condition of insufficient nutritional intake of children usually does not only occur after birth, but can begin while still in the womb. Below are two main points that are factors that cause stunting in children :

1. Lack of nutrition during pregnancy WHO or the world health body states that about 20% of stunting cases have occurred while the baby is still in the womb. This is caused by the mother's intake during pregnancy which is low in nutrients and of good quality so that the nutrients received by the fetus tend to be low. Finally, growth in the womb begins with stunting and continues after birth. Therefore, it is important to meet a variety of important nutrients during pregnancy.
2. Inadequate nutritional needs of children In addition, this condition can also occur due to lack of food for children under the age of 2 years, such as inappropriate breastfeeding positions, not being given exclusive breast milk, to low-quality complementary foods (MPASI). Many theories state that lack of food intake can also be one of the main factors that cause stunting. Especially food intake that contains protein and minerals zinc (zinc) and iron when the child is still under five. Going through the Child and Adolescent Nutrition book, this phenomenon generally begins to develop when the child is 3 months old. This process of development gradually begins to slow down when the child is 3 years old. After that, the chart to determine height based on age (TB/U), continues to move below the standard curve but in a lower position. There is a slight difference in the stunting situation experienced by the 2-3 year old group and children over 3 years old. In children less than 2 - 3 years of age, a low height-for-age (TB/U) chart measurement can describe the ongoing process of stunting. And in children older than that, the condition indicates that the child's growth failure is actually occurring.
3. Other causative factors In addition to what has been mentioned above, there are some other factors that cause stunting in children, namely: The mother's lack of knowledge about nutrition before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and after giving birth. Limited access to health services, including pregnancy and postnatal (after giving birth) services. Lack of access to clean water and sanitation. There is still less access to nutritious food because it is quite expensive. To prevent, pregnant women should avoid the above factors.