Wasting in Children Under Five in the Haruku–Sameth Community Health Centre Catchment Area, Maluku Province
Abstract
Objective: Wasting, defined as low weight for height, remains a major nutritional problem in Indonesia, with a relatively high prevalence in Maluku Province, including on Haruku Island, driven by limited healthcare access, geographic constraints, and socioeconomic vulnerability. This study examined household, maternal, and child factors associated with wasting among children under five living in the catchment area of the Haruku–Sameth Community Health Centre in Central Maluku District.
Material and Methods: Using a total sampling method, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in July 2025 across five villages (Haruku, Sameth, Oma, Wassu, and Aboru). Information was collected from 194 mothers of children under five. Structured questionnaires were used to obtain data on sociodemographic, maternal, and child health characteristics, along with children’s anthropometric measurements. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with wasting.
Results: We found that the prevalence of wasting among children under five in the study area was 20.0% (95 % confidence interval (CI): 14.0–26.0%). Children in Wassu Village had significantly higher odds of wasting than those from Sameth Village (aOR=7.87; p-value=0.003). In addition, children born preterm were more likely to experience wasting than those born at term (aOR=4.34; p-value=0.008). We also found children from households without national health insurance had an increased likelihood of being wasted (aOR=3.61; p-value=0.006).
Conclusion: These findings indicate that wasting in Haruku remains relatively high and is shaped by geographic, biological, and socioeconomic factors, underscoring the need for targeted nutritional interventions and social protections tailored to small-island communities.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
World Health Organization. WHO guideline on the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional oedema (acute malnutrition) in infants and children under 5 years [homepage on the Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2023 [cited 2025 Nov 1]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240082830
World Health Organization. Health Topics [homepage on the Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2025 [cited 2025 Nov 1]. Malnutrition. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/malnutrition#tab=tab_13.
Muliyati H, Mbali M, Bando H, Utami RP, Mananta O. Analisis faktor kejadian wasting pada anak balita 12-59 bulan di Puskesmas Bulili Kota Palu: studi cross sectional. AcTion Aceh Nutr J 2021;6.
Likhar A, Baghel P, Patil M. Early childhood development and social determinants. Cureus 2022;14:e29500.
Soliman A, De Sanctis V, Alaaraj N, Ahmed S, Alyafei F, Hamed N, et al. Early and Long-term consequences of nutritional stunting: from childhood to adulthood. Acta Bio Medica Atenei Parm 2021;92:e2021168.
Hasnita E, Noflidaputri R, Sari NW, Yuniliza Y. Faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi kejadian wasting pada balita usia 36-59 bulan di wilayah kerja Puskesmas Rao Kabupaten Pasaman. JIK J Ilmu Kesehat 2023;7:130–6.
Sanggelorang Y, Malonda NSH, Punuh MI, Novita V. Hubungan riwayat pemberian ASI dan kejadian wasting pada balita: analisis data SSGI 2022. Holistik J Kesehat 2025;18:1522–7.
Noviana Sari E. Faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi kejadian wasting pada balita umur 1-5 tahun. J Kesehat Poltekkes Kemenkes RI Pangkalpinang 2022;10:75–81.
Syarfaini S, Nurfatmi R, Jayadi YI, Alam S. Hubungan asupan zat gizi makro terhadap kejadian wasting pada balita usia 0-59 bulan di Kecamatan Polombangkeng Utara Kabupaten Takalar tahun 2022. Ghidza J Gizi Dan Kesehat 2022;6:128–38.
Candra A. Pengaruh suplementasi seng dan zat besi terhadap berat badan dan tinggi badan balita. J Nutr Health 2017;5:37–3.
World Health Organization. World Health Statistics [homepage on the Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2025 [cited 2025 Nov 1]. Available from: https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/joint-child-malnutrition-estimates-unicef-who-wb
Ministry of Health Republic of Indonesia. SSGI 2024 Survei status gizi Indonesia dalam angka [monograph on the Internet]. Jakarta: Ministry of Health Republic of Indonesia; 2025 [cited 2025 Nov 1]. Available from: https://www.badankebijakan.kemkes.go.id/survei-status-gizi-indonesia-ssgi-2024/
Unicef, WHO, World Bank Group. The UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) standard methodology [monograph on the Internet]. New York: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization and the World Bank; 2024 [cited 2025 Nov 1]. Available from: https://data.unicef.org/resources/jme-standard-methodology/
Ministry of Health Republic Indonesia. Indonesian Health Survey [homepage on the Internet]. Jakarta: Kemenkes RI; 2024 [cited 2024 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.badankebijakan.kemkes.go.id/hasil-ski-2023/
BPS-Statistic Maluku Province. Maluku Province in figures 2025. Maluku: BPS Provinsi Maluku; 2025.
Central Maluku Regency Health Office. 2024 Report on the Prevalence of Nutritional Status Among Toddlers [Laporan prevalensi status gizi balita tahun 2024] [Annual report]. Masohi: Central Maluku Health Office; 2024.
Puskesmas Haruku Sameth. Health Profile of the Haruku Sameth Health Center for 2024. Haruku-Sameth: Central Maluku Health Office; 2024.
Kemenkes RI. Badan kebijakan pembangunan kesehatan survei kesehatan Indonesia kuesioner pertanyaan individu. Survei Kesehat Indones SKI 2023.
Dimagi Inc. CommCare [homepage on the Internet]. Cambridge (MA): Dimagi Inc.; [cited 2025 Nov 1]. Available from: https://www.commcarehq.org
Lamid A, Triwinarto A, editors. Bunga rampai wasting bencana bagi sumber daya manusia: tantangan Indonesia maju tahun 2045 [monograph on the Internet]. Jakarta: Lembaga Penerbit Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Kesehatan; 2020 [cited 2025 Nov 1]. Available from: http://www.badankebijakan.kemkes.go.id/repositori/id/eprint/3927
UNICEF, WHO, WBG. Levels and trends in child malnutrition [homepage on the Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2023 [cited 2025 Nov 1]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240073791
Ministry of Health Republic of Indonesia. Peraturan Menteri Kesehatan Republik Indonesia Nomor 2 Tahun 2020 tentang standar antropometri anak [monograph on the Internet]. Jakarta: Ministry of Health Republic of Indonesia; 2020 [cited 2025 Nov 1]. Available from: https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/152505/permenkes-no-2-tahun-2020
Baspakova A, Mussin NM, Yerimbetova G, Ashimova Z. The epidemiology of food insecurity: a global perspective. J Environ Treat Tech 2024;12:1–6.
Usfar AA, Fahmida U, Februhartanty J. Household food security status measured by the US-Household Food Security/Hunger Survey Module (US-FSSM) is in line with coping strategy indicators found in urban and rural Indonesia. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2007;16:368–74.
Titaley C, Sallatalohy NM, Adam FP. Status Ketahanan Pangan dan Faktor Sosio-Ekonomi pada Masyarakat Pesisir Kabupaten Buru Selatan. agriTECH 2020;40:1–12.
Titaley CR, Tjandrarini DH, Malakauseya MLV, Ariawan I, Iwan RF, Istia SS, et al. Determinants of non-use of antenatal care services in eastern Indonesia: Analysis of the 2023 Indonesia Health Survey. Frontiers in Global Women’s Health 2025;6.1-13.
Manoochehri S, Manoochehri Z, Asadi FT, Soltanian AR. A multilevel analysis of factors associated with wasting in children one to two years old in Hamadan city. Sci Rep 2024;14:1-10.
Wardlaw T, Blanc A, Zupan J, Ahman E, editors. Low birthweight: country, regional and global estimates. New York: The United Nations Children’s Fund and World Health Organization; 2004; p.27.
Villar J, Ismail LC, Victora CG, Ohuma EO, Bertino E, Altman DG, et al. International standards for newborn weight, length, and head circumference by gestational age and sex: the Newborn Cross-Sectional Study of the INTERGROWTH-21st Project. The Lancet 2014;384:857–68.
Natasya AA, Fitriani. Analysis of determinants of nutritional parenting patterns for toddlers in Teupin Panah Village, District. Kaway XVI, West Aceh Regency. Multidiciplinary Output Res Actual Int Issue 2022;2:293–8
Sari F, Murti B, Sutisna SE, Kusnandar. Family’s support, partnership and nutrition status of children under the age of five in the spesial region of Yogyakarta. Malays J Public Health Med 2021;21:95–102.
Nasrianti CS, Avindharin PD, Hikmah AN. Riwayat kelahiran premature sebagai faktor risiko kejadian wasting pada bayi 0-24 bulan di Kabupaten Bugel, Kota Tangerang. J Nusant Madani 2023;2:44–9.
Koritelu RTE, Syauqy A, Margawati A. Determinants of wasting among children aged 6–23 months in Indonesia. Media Kesehat Masy Indones 2024;20:184–95.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.