Weight Gain in Underweight Toddlers Receiving Formula Milk at Jatilawang Health Center

Abstract Background: Underweight among toddlers remains a significant nutritional concern in Indonesia, potentially impairing growth and development while increasing morbidity risks. Formula milk supplementation programs represent one intervention strategy to improve nutritional intake in underweight toddlers. In the working area of Jatilawang Health Center, 12% of toddlers were underweight. Methods: This study aimed to analyze weight gain among underweight toddlers participating in the formula milk supplementation program at Jatilawang Health Center in 2024. Employing a descriptive quantitative design, the study sampled 224 toddlers aged 12–59 months from a population of 3452 in Jatilawang District, selected via random sampling. Secondary data from the 2024 program records (weight measurements: July/October) were analyzed using univariate analysis in SPSS. Variables included toddler age, sex, underweight status, and weight gain. Results: indicated most respondents were aged 24–35 months (46.4%) and male (52.2%). The underweight prevalence was 15.6% (n=35). Notably, none (0%) of the 35 underweight toddlers achieved standard weight gain. The mean nominal weight gain across all participants (N=224) was 0.5193 kg (median=mode=0.5 kg). Conclusions: The 2024 formula milk supplementation program failed to achieve standard weight gain in underweight toddlers despite nominal gains in the broader sample. Underweight prevalence remains substantially high in this region.