Email this article Nutritional Status and Gross Motor Development of Suku Anak Dalam Children in Indonesia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between nutritional status and gross motor development in children of the Suku Anak Dalam (SAD), an indigenous forest-dwelling community of Sumatra in Sarolangun Regency, Jambi Province, Indonesia. A correlational design with a cross-sectional approach was used. The study population consisted of SAD children in Sarolangun Regency. A total of 30 children aged 1–3 years was recruited using a purposive sampling. Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric measurements based on the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards z-scores, while gross motor development was assessed using the Pre-Screening Developmental Questionnaire (Kuesioner Pra-Skrining Perkembangan), a national developmental screening instrument used in Indonesian primary care. Bivariate correlation was followed by partial correlation controlling for child age, maternal education, household income, and environmental stimulation. Results showed a strong and significant correlation between nutritional status and gross motor development (r = .75, 95% ci [.53, .87], t (28) = 6.00, p < .001), which remained significant after statistically controlling for the four covariates (partial r = .62, 95% ci [.31, .81], t (24) = 3.87, p < .001). Children with poorer nutritional status tended to show less advanced gross motor development, whereas children with better nutritional status tended to show more advanced development. These are preliminary associational findings from a single cross-sectional sample. The foraging-based subsistence patterns and caregiving practices of the SAD are discussed as plausible contextual factors but were not directly examined as moderators. Nevertheless, these findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive nutrition and developmental-stimulation programs for SAD children, as well as further prospective research involving larger samples.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/jpjo.v11i2.105161
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