Karakteristik Pasien di Poliklinik Nutrisi dan Penyakit Metabolik Anak Rumah Sakit Umum Pusat Haji Adam Malik Medan Tahun 2023

Abstract

Background. Nutritional issues among children in Indonesia remain a serious concern, especially with the increasing prevalence of stunting and obesity. In North Sumatra, the prevalence of stunting in children has reached 21.1%, with 2.3% experiencing obesity. This indicates a need for nutritional management and early detection of nutritional problems in children, particularly those visiting healthcare facilities. Objective. This study aims to identify the characteristics of patients at the Pediatric Nutrition and Metabolic Disease Clinic at Haji Adam Malik Central General Hospital, Medan, in 2023. Methods. This research uses a descriptive method with a cross-sectional approach, involving 120 pediatric patients who met the inclusion criteria. Results. The results show that the majority of patients were in the 12–59 month age group and experienced malnutrition, with a prevalence of protein energy malnutrition of 52.5%, undernutrition of 31.7% and good nutrition of 12.5%. Conclusion. The nutritional status of patients was mostly in the malnutrition category and the most common nutritional problem found was protein energy malnutrition with stunting.