Correlation of Maternal Education with Parenting and Child Nutritional Status

Abstract

Education levels is the key to childcare. The objective of this study were to analyze the correlation of
maternal education by care and nutritional status of children in Maros District in Indonesia.
Settings and Design: The sample were under five years old and selected by simple random sampling.
Sample size were 156. The design is a cross sectional study. Data analysis by spearman correlation test at
95% confidence level
Method and Material: Child weight was measured by electronic SECA scale. Anthropometric data collected
in Infants (0–11 mo of age). Three indexes were derived from anthropometric measures, including weightfor-
age z score (WHA), length-for-age z score (HAZ), and weight-for-length zscore (WHA). This research
was registered with the ethics commission of the Makassar Health Polytechnic.
Statistical Analysis Used: The data analyze were used to SPSS 16. Correlations between parenting style
and z scores anthropometric were tested by Spearmen correlation at 95% confidence intervals.
Results: The Distribution of nutritional status based on WAZ, HAZ and WHZ indexes were normal (within
in the basic education level) 67,1%, 53,2% and 74,5% respectively. The nutritional status based on WAZ,
HAZ and WHZ indexes were normal (within the continue education level) in 75,7%, 61,4%, and 77,1%
respectively. Statistical analysis that education levels were correlated with parenting in the basic educations
level group (p=0,043).
Conclusions: In the group of basic educated mothers, it is known that there is a correlation between the
nutritional status of children according to the WAZ index.