Profile of Macro-Nutrient Intake and Its Association with Undernutrition Prevalence Among Adolescent Girls in Rural Areas of The Western Sumatera

Poor quality of nutrient intake may impact malnutrition, mainly for vulnerable groups of age, such as children and adolescents. Based on the SSGI year 2021-2022, there was a tendency to increase undernutrition prevalence among children. It may have negative consequences for children at the next age, especially girls. The study aimed to analyze the association of nutrient intake with nutritional status among adolescent girls. Totally 120 girls aged 12-15 years participated in the cross-sectional study which lived in a rural area of Indonesia. The sample of the study was examined through simple random sampling with criteria agreed to follow the study, the ability to communicate well and in good health. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire, and after that data was analyzed by the SPSS program using the chi-square test for bivariate analysis and multiple regression logistics for multivariate analysis. The study reported that almost 30% of adolescents were underweight and severely underweight status, and it was identified that 12.5% of adolescents were overweight status. The nutrient intake of girls was more than 20% in the low nutrient intake category. Furthermore, macronutrient intake significantly had an association with malnutrition status among adolescent girls in a rural area (p-value=0.05). Protein intake was a dominant factor that had an association with undernutrition prevalence among adolescent girls. The institution of health should make a creative nutrition program that cooperates with nutrition science program study such as giving nutrition education through peer involvement to decrease the prevalence of undernutrition among young girls.