Relationship Between Mother's Knowledge and Motivation with Feeding Patterns of Toddlers Experiencing Stunting in The Work Area of Padang Alai Community Health Center Padang Pariaman Regency, West Sumatera Province

Abstract

An increase in the prevalence of stunting among toddlers is associated with the knowledge, motivation, and dietary patterns imparted by their mothers. The objective of this study was to assess the correlation between mothers' knowledge and motivation with the feeding patterns of malnourished toddlers at the Padang Alai Health Center. The type of quantitative research is with a cross-sectional approach. The independent variables were knowledge and motivation, while the dependent variable was the feeding pattern. The sample included 40 mothers of toddlers who had weights below the expected range for their age, with a purposive sampling technique. The research instrument used a questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using univariate analysis to determine the frequency distribution and percentage of variables. Bivariate tests employed the Chi-Square statistical test at a 5% significance level. The univariate analysis indicated that the majority of respondents, specifically 24 participants (60.00%), exhibited a low knowledge level, 21 participants (52.50%) demonstrated low motivation, and 22 participants (55.00%) reported appropriate feeding patterns for children. The bivariate analysis indicated a significant relationship between the level of knowledge and feeding patterns (p-value = 0.016 < α = 0.05), as well as a relationship between maternal motivation and feeding patterns (p-value = 0.010 < α = 0.05) for malnourished toddlers at the Padang Alai Health Center in Padang Pariaman Regency. It can be concluded that the knowledge level and motivation of mothers were related to the feeding patterns of toddlers with stunting at the Padang Alai Health Center in Padang Pariaman Regency, West Sumatra Province.