Hubungan Pola Asuh dan Pola Pemberian Makanan dengan Status Gizi Balita

Background: Malnutrition among toddlers, including undernutrition and poor nutritional status, remains a key indicator of low community health and is a major public health concern. In 2022, Serang Regency ranked third highest in stunting prevalence among toddlers, reaching 8.96%, while the prevalence in the Cikeusal Public Health Center area was 7.8%. Nutritional problems in toddlers are influenced by both direct factors, such as food consumption, and indirect factors, including parenting style and feeding practices. Objective: To determine the relationship between parenting style and feeding practices with the nutritional status of toddlers. Methods: This study used a quantitative analytic approach with a cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 109 mothers with toddlers, selected using accidental sampling. The instrument used was a self-developed questionnaire that had been tested for validity (r count > r table) and reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha > 0.7). Primary data were analyzed using the chi-square test. Results: Univariate analysis showed that the majority of respondents had good parenting styles (79.8%), appropriate feeding practices (70.6%), and toddlers with good nutritional status (90.8%). Bivariate analysis revealed a significant relationship between parenting style and nutritional status (p = 0.004), as well as between feeding practices and nutritional status (p = 0.001). Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between parenting style and feeding practices with the nutritional status of toddlers. These findings highlight the importance of educational interventions for parents to promote effective parenting and appropriate feeding practices to support optimal child nutrition.