Hubungan Ketersediaan dan Pendidikan Tenaga Gizi terhadap Kejadian Stunting di Sumatera Barat, Indonesia

The availability of an adequate number of qualified nutrition experts is a supporting factor for the success of nutrition programs and health transformation. The research aims to analyze the relationship between job suitability of nutrition professionals, education level, participation in training, and the competence of nutrition experts in relation to the nutritional status (prevalence of stunting) in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional design, with a sample size of 698 nutrition professionals working in 16 districts/cities in West Sumatra. Data were collected through a questionnaire in Google Form format. This study revealed that 35.6% of nutrition professionals did not possess an active registration certificate. Around 43.9% had only completed a three-year diploma program, and 13.7% were not working in accordance with their profession. Approximately 65% of nutrition experts had not received training related to their authority, and 76.3% did not possess relevant competency certification to support their performance. There was a significant relationship between the number of nutrition professionals working in accordance with their profession, participation in training, and competency certification with the occurrence of stunting (p<0.05). The conclusion is that the higher the number of nutrition professionals working in accordance with their profession, trained, and competent, the lower the prevalence of stunting in the area. Policy measures and efforts are needed to meet the needs of nutrition experts in terms of quantity and quality in order to strengthen nutrition programs and improve the level of health in West Sumatra.