The Relationship Between Dietary Patterns and Other Factors on the Incidence of Low Birth Weight in Infants Aged 0-6 Months in Selected Areas in Indonesia in 2025

Background: Low birth weight (LBW), defined as a birth weight of less than 2,500 grams, remains a significant public health concern due to its considerable impact on infant mortality and long-term growth dan development outcomes. This study aims to examine the relationship between maternal dietary patterns (non-vegetarian and vegetarian) and other maternal factors on the incidence of LBW in selected areas in Indonesia. Methods: This research uses a cross-sectional design involving 122 respondents, data were collected through structured questionnaires and a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The study was conducted from March to May 2025 using purposive sampling. Results: A LBW prevalence of 5.7% in Indonesia, with prevalence rates of 8.3% among vegetarian mothers and 5.1% among non-vegetarian mothers. Bivariate analysis revealed no statistically significant associations between LBW incidence and dietary type (p = 0.623), frequency of staple food consumption (p = 0.272), frequency of animal protein consumption (p = 0.751), frequency of plant protein consumption (p = 0.113), pre-pregnancy nutritional status (p = 0.941), gestational weight gain (p = 0.707), interpregnancy interval (p = 1), parity (p = 0.709), ANC visit frequency (p = 1), maternal education level (p = 0.650), and supplement consumption (p = 0.555). Conclusions: There is no significant relationship between all independent variables with the incidence of low birth weight