The Relationship Between Hemoglobin Levels and Erythrocyte Index with the Nutritional Status of Weight Faltering Toddlers at the Pulo Armyn Health Center, Bogor City

Weight faltering in young children may coexist with hematological abnormalities, highlighting the need for accessible laboratory assessments in primary healthcare settings. This study examined the associations between hemoglobin concentrations, erythrocyte indices, and the severity of weight faltering among children attending Pulo Armyn Health Center in Bogor City, Indonesia. This quantitative observational study employed a cross-sectional design and included 80 purposively selected children aged 0–59 months. Anthropometric records were used to classify the severity of weight faltering, while blood samples were analyzed using a Mindray BC-11 hematology analyzer. Associations were assessed using Spearman's rank correlation analysis. Mean hemoglobin concentrations decreased from 10.9 g/dL in children with mild weight faltering to 10.0 g/dL in those with moderate weight faltering and 8.8 g/dL in those with severe weight faltering. The severity of weight faltering was strongly negatively correlated with hemoglobin concentration (r = ?0.929) and moderately negatively correlated with mean corpuscular volume (MCV; r = ?0.450), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH; r = ?0.548), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC; r = ?0.540). These findings indicated that greater weight faltering severity was associated with more pronounced hematological abnormalities, with patterns suggestive of microcytic, hypochromic anemia. However, iron deficiency could not be confirmed because iron status biomarkers were not assessed. Hemoglobin concentrations and erythrocyte indices may complement anthropometric monitoring in children experiencing weight faltering. Nevertheless, further studies incorporating appropriate comparison groups, iron status assessments, and diagnostic accuracy analyses are needed before these hematological parameters can be recommended as screening biomarkers for weight faltering in primary healthcare settings.