STATUS GIZI BALITA USIA 24-59 BULAN DI WILAYAH KERJA PUSKESMAS KOTA PALEMBANG

Latar Belakang : Status gizi balita merupakan indikator penting kesehatan masyarakat. Data Dinas Kesehatan Kota Palembang tahun 2024 mencatat di Puskesmas Kertapati terdapat 34 kasus stunting, 17 wasting, 41 underweight, dan 3 overweight pada balita usia 24–59 bulan, menunjukkan masalah gizi masih terjadi. Faktor seperti konsumsi ASI eksklusif, infeksi berulang, sanitasi lingkungan, jumlah anggota keluarga, pendidikan ibu, pendapatan keluarga, dan pekerjaan orang tua diduga berperan terhadap status gizi anak. Tujuan Penelitian : Mengetahui gambaran status gizi balita usia 24–59 bulan di wilayah kerja Puskesmas Kertapati Kota Palembang berdasarkan berbagai faktor yang memengaruhinya. Metode Penelitian : Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif kuantitatif dengan pendekatan cross-sectional. Sampel sebanyak 78 balita diambil dengan teknik accidental sampling. Data primer dikumpulkan melalui wawancara terstruktur menggunakan kuesioner, dan data sekunder diperoleh dari catatan antropometri balita di Puskesmas. Data dianalisis secara deskriptif untuk mengetahui distribusi status gizi dan karakteristik responden. Hasil Penelitian : Hasil menunjukkan bahwa sebagian besar balita berada dalam kategori gizi normal, namun masih ditemukan kasus gizi buruk, kurang, dan lebih. Faktor pendidikan ibu, pendapatan keluarga, serta kondisi sanitasi lingkungan memiliki kontribusi terhadap variasi status gizi balita. Kesimpulan : Kasus gizi kurang pada balita di wilayah kerja Puskesmas Kertapati disebabkan oleh kurangnya ASI eksklusif, infeksi berulang, sanitasi kurang baik, keterbatasan ekonomi, dan rendahnya pengetahuan gizi ibu. Diperlukan upaya berkelanjutan melalui edukasi gizi, peningkatan PHBS, serta penguatan pemantauan tumbuh kembang anak.

Background : Nutritional status of toddlers is an important indicator of public health. Data from the Palembang City Health Office in 2024 recorded at Kertapati Public Health Center showed 34 cases of stunting, 17 of wasting, 41 of underweight, and 3 of overweight among children aged 24–59 months, indicating that nutritional problems still persist. Factors such as exclusive breastfeeding, recurrent infections, environmental sanitation, family size, maternal education, family income, and parental occupation are suspected to contribute to children’s nutritional status. Objective : To describe the nutritional status of children aged 24–59 months in the working area of Puskesmas Kertapati, Palembang based on various influencing factors. Methods : This research used a descriptive quantitative method with a cross-sectional approach. A total of 78 children were selected using accidental sampling. Primary data were collected through structured interviews using questionnaires, and secondary data were obtained from anthropometric records at the health center. Data were analyzed descriptively to identify distributions of nutritional status and respondent characteristics. Results : The study showed that most children were in the normal nutritional category, although cases of undernutrition and overnutrition were still found. Factors such as low maternal education, low household income, and inadequate sanitation conditions were linked to poor nutritional outcomes. Conclusion : Cases of malnutrition among toddlers in the Kertapati Community Health Center working area are caused by a lack of exclusive breastfeeding, recurrent infections, poor sanitation, economic constraints, and low nutritional knowledge among mothers. Continuous efforts are needed through nutrition education, improvement of healthy lifestyles, and strengthening of child growth and development monitoring.