<![CDATA[Stunting is a critical global issue. Stunting increases vulnerability to disease and death, impairs brain development, and slows motor and mental development. One of the causes of stunting is inadequate protein intake, as protein plays a role in the production of Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF)-1, which is essential for bone development and enhances children’s growth rates. This study aims to determine the history of protein intake as a risk factor for stunting in toddlers aged 24–59 months in the service area of the Keang Community Health Center. This is a quantitative case-control study with a population of 246 toddlers. The sample consisted of 64 toddlers, comprising 32 toddlers with stunting as the case group and 32 toddlers with normal nutritional status as the control group. The instruments used to collect data included a microtoise, a questionnaire, and the Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (SQ-FFQ). Nutritional status data were grouped into two categories: stunting, defined as a z-score between -3 SD and < -2 SD; and normal, defined as a z-score between -2 SD and +3 SD. Meanwhile, protein intake history was categorized as adequate if intake was ≥40% of the RDA and inadequate if intake was <40% of the RDA. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test and odds ratio. The study results showed a p-value of 0.001 < 0.05 and a crude OR (95% CI) of 11.88 (3.535–39.925), indicating that toddlers with a history of inadequate protein intake are at a higher risk of stunting. The crude OR value of 11.88 indicates that toddlers with inadequate protein intake have significantly higher odds of experiencing stunting compared to toddlers with adequate intake. It is therefore concluded that a history of inadequate protein intake is a risk factor for stunting among toddlers aged 24–59 months in the service area of the Keang Community Health Center.]]>
