KETERKAITAN STATUS GIZI AWAL TERHADAP LAJU PERTAMBAHAN BERAT BADAN BALITA: PENDEKATAN RETROSPEKTIF

Abstract

Adequate growth monitoring during the first years of life is essential for the early detection of nutritional problems, including growth faltering, a condition in which a child's weight gain does not proceed as expected. This retrospective study examined the association between children's initial nutritional status, represented by initial body mass index (BMI), and their subsequent rate of weight gain over a short observation period. Secondary data from 114 under-five children recorded between October and December were analyzed. Initial nutritional status was measured numerically through initial BMI (kg/m2), while the rate of weight gain was measured as the total change in body weight (ΔBW) between October and December (kg). Data were examined descriptively and analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation test. The results showed that the mean initial BMI was 16.44 kg/m2 (SD = 6.44) and the mean total ΔBW was 0.55 kg, with 79.8% of children showing an increasing weight trend. Spearman's correlation indicated a significant negative association between initial BMI and total ΔBW (ρ = -0.206; p = 0.028), suggesting that children with lower initial BMI tended to show a comparatively higher rate of weight gain, consistent with a catch-up growth pattern. These findings underline the importance of continuous growth monitoring regardless of a child's initial nutritional status.