<![CDATA[Malnutrition and stunting remain major public health challenges among children under five in Indonesia. Locally available nutrient-dense foods, such as Moringa oleifera, have potential as complementary foods to improve children’s nutritional status. This study contributed to evaluated the effect of Moringa-leaf crackers (Telur Gabus) on body weight and height among toddlers. A quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design involved 60 toddlers aged 24-60 months from two community health posts (Posyandu) in Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The intervention group (n=30) received Moringa-leaf crackers daily for one month, while the control group (n=30) received the standard supplementary snack without Moringa-leaf. Body weight and height were measured before and after the intervention. Data was analyzed using paired t-tests, independent t-tests, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Both groups showed improvements in body weight and height (p<0.05). The intervention group demonstrated greater mean increases in body weight (0.31 kg) and height (1.14 cm) than the control group (0.15 kg and 0.74 cm, respectively). However, between-group differences were not statistically significant for body weight (p=0.114) or height (p=0.240). ANCOVA showed no significant intervention effect on post-intervention body weight (p=0.118) or height (p=0.226) after baseline adjustment. Moringa-leaf crackers may have potential as locally produced supplementary food; however, longer interventions and larger samples are needed to establish their effectiveness in supporting toddler growth.]]>
