Faktor-Faktor yang Mempengaruhi Picky Eater pada Anak Usia Prasekolah di TK Kelurahan Titi Rantai

Abstract

Picky eating is a dietary habit in children characterized by the refusal of various foods, reluctance to try new foods, and a strong preference for certain foods. Picky eating is known to cause a lack of food variety, rejection of specific foods, and unhealthy or potentially inadequate eating behaviors. This study aims to identify the factors influencing picky eating behavior in preschool-aged children. A descriptive quantitative research design was employed in May at a selected kindergarten in Titi Rantai Village. The study used univariate analysis, with a sample size of 72 children obtained through total sampling, comprising 34 picky eaters (47,2%) and 38 non-picky eaters (52,8%). The findings revealed that maternal eating behavior among non-picky eaters was generally good (65,8%), while among picky eaters, it was mostly adequate (61,8%). The most commonly applied feeding style by mothers was encouraging the child to eat, found in both picky eaters (73,5%) and non-picky eaters (71,1%). Although most mothers had good knowledge about nutrition, there was a significant difference in the percentage between picky eaters (41,2%) and non-picky eaters (76,3%). The majority of picky eaters had a low variety of foods (70,6%), in contrast to non-picky eaters, who had a high variety of foods (100%). Therefore, the dominant factors influencing picky eating in children are inadequate maternal eating behavior and a lack of food variety for the children.