Journal of Pediatric Perspectives

Journal of Pediatric Perspectives

Father Involvement for Feeding Practice and the Prevalence of Stunted Children: A Cross-Sectional Study in Indonesia

Articles in Press

Document Type : original article

Authors
Adis Marsya Salsabila 1
Tantut Susanto 2, 3
Hanny Rasni 2
Agnestria Winarto 2
Lailiyatul Munawaroh 2
1 Undergraduate of Nursing Program, Faculty of Nursing, University of Jember, Jember, Indonesia.
2 Department of Community, Family & Gerontic Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Jember, Jember, Indonesia.
3 Center of Agronursing for Community, Family & Elderly Health, Universitas Jember, Jember, Indonesia.
10.22038/jpp.2026.95313.5645
Abstract
Background: Stunting remains one of the most significant nutritional challenges, alongside wasting, underweight, and obesity, that threaten children's growth and development. In Indonesia, fathers’ involvement in parenting is still relatively low. Parenting patterns in which mothers are solely responsible, without involving fathers, can negatively affect a child's nutritional status due to insufficient monitoring. This study aims to analyze the association between father involvement in feeding and the prevalence of stunting in children aged 24-59 months in families in Jember Regency.
Materials and Methods: This research employed a descriptive analytic design with a cross-sectional approach. Data were collected using the Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) questionnaire to assess the level of fathers’ involvement in feeding, while stunting status was measured using a digital scale and a microtoise. The sample consisted of 212 father-child pairs, with the unit of analysis being the father-child pair. A stratified random sampling technique was applied across villages and posyandu. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test to determine the unadjusted bivariate associations between variables.
Results: The research findings indicate that 52% of fathers have low involvement in feeding their children. Among the children, 70.8% were classified as stunted (-3 ≤ HAZ < -2), categorized as severely stunted (HAZ < -3). The unadjusted bivariate chi-square test revealed a significant association (χ^2 = 5.599; p-value = 0.018).
Conclusion: This study provides evidence of a protective association between fathers’ involvement in child feeding practices and stunting status, underscoring the need for education and empowerment programs targeting fathers as a strategy to reduce stunting.
Keywords
Children
Family
Father involvement
Feeding practices
Stunted
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Journal of Pediatric Perspectives

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 15 July 2026