Risk of Growth and Developmental Stunting in Children

Abstract

Childhood is a critical period that determines the quality of human resources in the future. This quality is strongly influenced by adequate nutritional intake. One of the major nutritional problems among children is stunting. According to the 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas), the prevalence of obesity among children was 8%, wasting 10.2%, and stunting 30.8%. The high rate of stunting is influenced by poor caregiving practices, limited access to nutritious food, lack of clean water and sanitation, and inadequate health services, including ANC, postnatal care, and early childhood education. This literature review used databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct, covering articles published between 2016 and 2021. Relevant articles were selected manually using the keywords “Stunting” and “Child Development” for both national and international studies. Based on the review of eight journals, stunting negatively impacts child growth and development, particularly gross and fine motor skills. Stunting, as a chronic malnutrition disorder, hinders optimal brain development, which in turn affects motor development. Other effects include reduced intelligence, delayed social response, impaired cognitive development, low activity levels, weakness, and poor academic performance. In conclusion, stunting indirectly affects the overall growth and development of children.