Community-Based Nutrition Intervention Strategies for Improving Dietary Quality and Public Health Outcomes

Berlin Sitanggang

doi:10.55927/fjst.v5i1.396

Authors

Berlin Sitanggang Poltekkes Kemenkes Medan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55927/fjst.v5i1.396

Keywords:

Community-Based Nutrition, Community-Based Nutrition Interventions, Diet Quality, Public Health

Abstract

Community diet quality remains a public health challenge, and evidence from integrated evaluations of community-based nutrition interventions is still limited. This mixed-methods quasi-experimental study evaluated a 10-week community-based nutrition intervention in two peri-urban communities around Medan City, involving 80 housewives divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention combined nutrition education, local food–based cooking demonstrations, and cadre assistance. Quantitative analysis showed significant improvements in diet quality, food diversity, and nutritional status in the intervention group compared to the control group. Qualitative findings indicated increased nutritional knowledge, local food processing skills, and motivation to sustain healthy eating behaviors. Overall, the study demonstrates that community-based nutrition interventions integrating local empowerment and multidimensional evaluation are effective promotive–preventive strategies with strong potential for sustainable public health programs.

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