| Summary: | Approximately half a billion children under the age
of five were living in developing countries. Out of
these, about 37% are stunted, 11% are wasted and
30% are underweight1. Children malnutrition is one
of serious health issues in Indonesia. The National
Socio-Economic Survey noted that the prevalence
of children with lack of nutrition increased from
2002 (18.3%) to 2003 (19.6%) and declined
to18.8% in 20042. The prevalence of children with
severe nutrition in South sumatera in 2003 is above
of the national average of 8.5%2. According to the
Basic Health Research in 2007, the prevalence of
underweight and severely underweight in South
Sumatera is high (11.7% and 6.5%, respectively)3.
There is a strong association between malnutrition
and child mortality, that a malnourished child tends
to suffer more days of infectious disease. The
simultaneous presence of malnutrition and
infection greatly increased the child’s risk of death.
Most of the children in the developing world die,
not from starvation or infectious disease alone, but
from the simultaneous presence of malnutrition and
infection together4. The causes of malnutrition are
numerous. The proximate determinants of
malnutrion are poor diet and illness. Poor diet and
illness are themselves caused by underlying factors
which include maternal child taking practices. The
aims of this study are to asses nutritional status and
determine maternal potential risk factors including
breastfeeding and weaning practices of mother,
mother’s education, occupation and nutritional
knowledge to malnutrition in children under age
five in Senuro Village, South Sumatera Province.
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