HUBUNGAN STATUS GIZI DENGAN PERKEMBANGAN MOTORIK KASAR PADA ANAK PRA SEKOLAH DI POSYANDU PUTRA BAHAGIA DESA SIWALAN KEC. MLARAK KAB. PONOROGO

Nutritional status is one of the key factors influencing child growth and development, including gross motor development, which involves coordination of large muscle groups. This study aimed to determine the relationship between nutritional status and gross motor development in preschool-aged children at Posyandu Putra Bahagia, Siwalan Village. This was a quantitative study with a cross-sectional design. A total of 31 children aged 3–5 years were selected using purposive sampling. Nutritional status data were obtained from recent weighing records using the weight-for-height (W/H) indicator, while gross motor development was assessed using an observation sheet based on indicators from the Indonesian Ministry of Health. Data analysis was carried out using Spearman’s rho test, yielding a correlation coefficient of 0.652, indicating a positive relationship. This means that the better a child’s nutritional status, the higher the likelihood that the child will have good gross motor skills. Furthermore, the significance value of 0.000 (< 0.01) shows that this relationship is statistically significant and not due to chance. Children with good nutritional status tended to have age-appropriate gross motor skills. This study highlights the importance of early nutritional monitoring and motor stimulation to support optimal development in preschool-aged children.