Healthy mothers, nourished children: Investigating the links between maternal factors, hygiene, sanitation, and stunting in indigenous Sundanese families

¹ Family and Consumer Sciences, Human Ecology, IPB University, 16680 Bogor, Indonesia
² Nutritional Science Study Program, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, IPB University, 16680 Bogor, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Indigenous home practices are shaped by family and community cultural values. Therefore, each family has a distinct approach to raising their children. Indonesia is home to thousands of ethnic groups that are distributed across the provinces. The Sundanese are one of the most common ethnicities and reside in West Java Province. The Sundanese indigenous villages represent Indonesia’s traditional communities that uphold Sundanese cultural norms. This study was conducted in two indigenous villages, Kampung Naga (Tasikmalaya Regency) and Kampung Pasir (Garut Regency) involving 100 families with children under five years old. Findings revealed gaps in health practices: 30% of mothers washed hands irregularly, 74% did not brush teeth before sleep, and 65% reported irregular physical activity for children. When children were ill, 21% of families relied on spells (jampean) that had been passed down through generations. Breastfeeding practices were also limited: only 35.1% initiated breastfeeding early, and 24.3% did not continue breastfeeding for up to two years. Nutritional outcomes indicated that 34% of children experienced stunting. Overall, Pearson correlation test showed that family income was significantly associated with hygiene and sanitation, and that maternal education was linked to the stunting status of children in Sundanese Indigenous Villages.