The Relationship Between Dietary Diversity And The Risk Of Stunting In Young Children In Indonesia

Introduction: Stunting, a form of chronic malnutrition, remains a significant public health issue in Indonesia, with high prevalence rates among young children. Dietary diversity has been identified as a crucial factor influencing the nutritional status and risk of stunting in this population. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary diversity and the risk of stunting in young children in Indonesia. Materials & Methods: Literature searches were conducted on electronic databases such as PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Articles that meet the inclusion criteria will be analyzed narratively. Results: The findings demonstrate a significant inverse relationship between dietary diversity and the risk of stunting. Children with higher dietary diversity were found to have a lower likelihood of being stunted compared to those with lower dietary diversity. The results also suggest that dietary diversity can serve as a proxy indicator for nutrient adequacy in this context. Conclusions: Promoting increased dietary diversity among young children and their mothers emerges as a key strategy to address the high prevalence of stunting in Indonesia. Interventions focusing on improving access to and consumption of a diverse range of nutritious foods, such as nutrition education, food production diversification, and food distribution programs, are recommended to contribute to the reduction of stunting in the country.