Abstract
Women working in Indonesian tea plantations are usually part-timers with few skill and low income. In order to work, they have to leave their children at home or in day care. We examined the nutrient adequacy level and prevalence of stunting among children of these workers. The intake of most nutrients was below the recommended dietary allowance: energy 83.1%, protein 91.8%, fat 66.2% vitamin A 71.4%, vitamin C 50.4%, calcium 69.3%, and zinc 32.2%. Nutrient adequacy, especially energy and protein, was negatively correlated (P<0.05) with children's age. Nearly 22% of children had a low weight-for-age (WAZ; Z<-2), 9% had a low weight-for-height (WZ), and 53% had a low height-for-age (HAZ): that is, they were stunted. HAZ was correlated with the intake of protein, calcium, iron, and zinc (P<0.01). The population in this region lacked food and nutrition security.
