Optimizing Physical Activity as a Preventive Effort to Stunting in Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65818/konektivitas.v1i1.171Keywords:
Physical activity, School health education, Stunting prevention, Student development, Teacher empowermentAbstract
Background: Stunting remains a critical public health challenge among school-aged children in Indonesia, reflecting long-term nutritional deficiencies and broader socio-economic disparities. While nutritional interventions have been widely emphasized, preventive strategies that integrate physical activity remain underexplored in educational settings. Physical activity plays a vital role in supporting growth, musculoskeletal development, metabolic regulation, and overall child health, thereby offering complementary value in stunting prevention efforts.
Aims: This community service activity aimed to enhance teachers’ understanding of physical activity as a preventive strategy against stunting among students through structured educational seminars.
Methods: The program was implemented through a one-day offline seminar conducted at the Hizbul Qur’an Elbanjary Foundation, involving sixteen participants consisting of teachers, school administrators, and community representatives. The seminar integrated expert presentations on nutrition and physical activity, interactive discussions, and reflective sessions. Program effectiveness was evaluated using a pretest–posttest design to measure changes in participants’ understanding.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrated a substantial improvement in participants’ understanding following the seminar. The mean pretest score of 56.1 increased to 84.1 in the posttest, indicating enhanced comprehension of the integrative role of physical activity in stunting prevention. Participants also showed increased engagement and awareness of holistic approaches combining nutrition and physical activity.
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