<![CDATA[This study aimed to describe the nutritional status of toddlers and examine its association with the quality of complementary feeding (MPASI) and caregiver parenting styles in a rural setting. A descriptive observational design was used, involving 93 children aged 6–59 months in the working area of Puskesmas Jenawi, Karanganyar Regency, Central Java. Nutritional status was assessed using WHO weight-for-height z-scores, MPASI quality was determined based on food variety and frequency, and parenting styles were classified into authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and uninvolved categories. Results showed that 90.3% of children had normal nutritional status, 6.5% were overweight, 2.2% were wasted, and 1.1% were severely wasted. Half of the toddlers received appropriate MPASI (50.5%), and the most common parenting style was indulgent (32.3%). While this study did not establish statistical associations, children with wasting or severe wasting were more frequently found under authoritarian or uninvolved caregiving styles, suggesting a possible pattern worth further exploration. These findings emphasize the importance of responsive parenting and adequate complementary feeding in promoting child health. The study contributes to science-based educational practices by providing evidence to inform nutrition education and caregiver training programs, particularly in rural communities, where scientific understanding of child nutrition and responsive parenting remains limited.]]>
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