Profile of Nutritional Status and Hemoglobin Levels among School-Aged Children in a Coastal Area of North Lombok

Rifana Cholidah (Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia)
Ida Ayu Eka Widiastuti (Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia)
Ima Arum Lestarini (Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universitas Mataram)
Seto Priyambodo (Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia)

Media of Health Research
Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026): Media of Health Research, May 2026

Anemia remains a significant public health problem among school-aged children in Indonesia. This study aimed to describe hemoglobin levels and nutritional status among primary school children in a coastal area of North Lombok. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 102 children aged 7–12 years from three elementary schools in Malaka Village, West Nusa Tenggara. Nutritional status was assessed using body mass index-for-age Z-scores, while hemoglobin levels were measured using a portable hemoglobin device. The results showed that 57.9% of children were anemic, including 16.7% with mild anemia and 41.2% with moderate anemia, while most children (72.5%) had a normal nutritional status. No severe anemia cases were identified. These findings suggest that anemia remains common despite predominantly normal anthropometric status among school-aged children in this coastal population.