Effectiveness of Nutritional Health Interventions on Improving Knowledge, Attitude, and Eating Habits among Malnourished Toddlers

Abstract

Objective: Malnutrition in children under five years old has been a public health problem for a long time. More than a third of all child deaths occur as a result of malnutrition. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of nutritional health interventions in improving knowledge, attitudes, and eating habits in malnourished children. Methods: A quasi- experimental design was adopted in this investigation. The size of the sample was 140. Participants were assigned in a random order of 1:1 (70 intervention and 70 control groups) in the area of the Seberang Padang Health Center. The intervention's effect was calculated using a difference in difference (DID) analysis. Results: The baseline findings revealed significant differences in sociodemographic (mother's age p=0.006; socioeconomic p=0.007; education p=0.002; occupational p= 0.011) and children's socio demographics (age: p=0.016; sex: p=0.042; birth weight: p=0.049; exclusive breastfeeding: p=0.001, immunisation status: p=0.001, infectious disease: p=0.001, vitamin A , attitude, and eating habits differed, indicating a significant increase in score from the baseline to the end line (knowledge: DID = 6.114, 95% CI = 5.556-6.673, p=0.001; attitude: DID =18.643, 95% CI = 17.043-20.242, p= 0.001; and eating habits: DID = 7.586, 95% CI = 6.556-8.615, p =0.001). Conclusion: The nutritional health intervention carried out for six months produced significant evidence of improved knowledge, attitudes, and eating habits in malnourished children. Policy planning and implications in Padang City, West Sumatera still need more focus on research that addresses child nutrition habit, as there is no research done in this area.