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CONFERENCE PROGRAM AND ICGCS 2021

ABSTRACT BOOK

Gender and Health and Nutrition

Women’s Contribution To Improve Children

Nutritional Status

Azrimaidaliza

Universitas Andalas

Nutrition problems focus on malnutrition among children under five are still a problem in

developing countries, including Indonesia. Recent basic health survey had shown that the
number of undernutrition is increased, mainly stunting conditions among children which

reached the prevalence more than 20% in several places, also in Sumatera Barat Province.

Many factors are related to this problem, including the factor from women empowerment.

Women as the primary caretaker of children in the household have still less contribution in

terms of decision making of nutritional status of their children. This article aims to review
women's contribution to improving children's nutritional status in the family. The literature

study was conducted to explain and find out the role of women in a family to improve family

food consumption and nutrition. We used keywords nutritional status, women empowerment,

risk factors, and undernutrition through online resources such as Science Direct, Google

Scholar, Pub Med, and other related websites. After searching the articles, we found 22 articles
that related to the topic. After that, we reviewed and analyzed for discrepancies in this

literature study. As we know malnutrition problems are caused by a multi-dimensional factor,

such as direct factors, namely food intake and health status, and indirect factors, namely

parenting including women characteristics, food security, and access to a health facility.

Children under five are one of the vulnerable group which has a high risk of nutrition problem.

In some countries, man or father as the family leader plays important role in decision-making

on household activities, also for food security and food distribution. However, previous studies
had proved the important role of women in children's nutrition. We found that specific

indicators of women empowerment, such as education and employment status, are factors

that have related to children's nutritional status. Besides that, women's status during

pregnancy, such as antenatal and postnatal care also contributed to children's nutritional

status. Some studies had proved that children of mothers who were illiterate more at risk of
having children with undernutrition or stunting than to whose mothers were not illiterate.

Women empowerment was directly and positively associated with their nutritional status.

However, women's nutritional status was directly and positively associated with children's

nutritional status. We can explain that women's involvement in employment activities and

decision-making on household activities is the evident factor that can affect children's
nutritional status. Even though the previous quantitative studies found that the result is less

consistent or the different result. There is a direct effect of women's empowerment on

children's nutritional status by improving women's health. So, it's recommended to design a

comprehensive intervention based on women empowerment to enhance children's nutritional

status through involvement in decision-making in household activities, especially on produce
and process of food. On the other side, they must care for and practice nutrition and healthy

behavior in the family. Collaborate and corporate of an expert in nutrition and other relevant

fields are needed in term to combat the malnutrition problems among children under five.

Keywords: women, empowerment, children, nutritional status

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