Association between Poverty Rate and Stunting Prevalence in Central Java

A Narrative Review

Abstract

Stunting refers to impaired growth and development in children resulting from chronic nutritional deficiencies, especially during the critical period of the first 1,000 days of life. This study aimed to generate more comprehensive empirical evidence on the association between poverty prevalence and stunting rates among districts and municipalities in Central Java. This study using a quantitative approach, this study analyzed secondary data through a correlational framework. The dataset covered all 36 administrative regions in Central Java Province, where district-level poverty rates and stunting prevalence served as the primary variables of analysis. The relationship between poverty and stunting identified should be interpreted as an association rather than a direct causal link. The findings suggest that poverty contributes to variations in child nutritional status, although it does not fully account for the complexity of underlying determinants. Therefore, poverty should be regarded as an important, yet not exclusive, factor. This study provides evidence of a significant positive association between district-level poverty rates and stunting prevalence in Central Java. The moderate correlation indicates that regions with higher poverty rates are more likely to have elevated stunting prevalence.