Nutritional Adequacy Level of Snack toward Nutritional Status of Early Childhood

The research conducted to map the nutritional status and need analysis of local-based snack in Semarang, Indonesia. The amount of early childhood were 200 samples. Identification for the type of snack they consume was obtained by recall for 3 days; followed by calculating nutrition contents and nutritional adequate level of the snack. The correlation of sex and age toward the level of nutritional adequacy was analyzed by Chi Square. Children in early aged 1 – 5 years, with 7.6% anemia rate, the normal nutritional status prevalence, wasted, severely wasted and obese were respectively 64.5 %, 14.5 %, 8.5 %, and 12.5 %. Gender did not affect the occurrence of anemia and nutritional status among children in early childhood. Age affected the nutritional status, though did not affect anemia.There were 20 types of snacks they consumed, among them were milk, biscuit, bread, fruit, and wafer. Nutrient content for energy, protein, iron fromthe snack consumed was respectively 518 kcal, 17.1 g, and 4.2 mg;the contribution of nutrients is high enough to fulfill the nutritional adequacy with 43.5 % energy, 62.3 % protein, and 56.0 % iron. The largest contribution came from the milk; the percentage of energy, protein and iron of the milk were respectively 44.9 %, 62.1 % and 80.5 %. Gender affected the level of adequacy of energy, protein, and iron found in the snack, while age merely affected the level of energy adequacy. Suggestions: 1) The parents need to provide healthy meals and nutritious snacks, 2) The necessary knowledge, attitudes and skills of snack manufacturing in the early childhood by teachers and parents, and 3) changes in snack consumption behavior among people towards the food consumption which is increasingly diverse, nutritious balanced, and safe for early childhood and family