The Implementation of Balanced Nutrition Using “Piring Makanku” on Food Consumption of Orphanage Children in Makassar City

BACKGROUND: Compliance with food-based dietary guidelines has been known delivered positive effect on nutrition and public health. AIM: This study aimed to assess the implementation of balanced nutrition using piring makanku on food consumption of orphanage children. METHODS: This study design was quasi-experimental with a non-random pretest-posttest with a control group. A total of 30 samples in each group were selected purposively, the treatment group was given nutrition education and piring makanku while the control group was given nutrition education only. Data collected include subject characteristics, nutritional status, and the use of piring makanku (compliance, practice, and portion acceptability). Statistical analysis used t-test for paired and non-paired groups. RESULTS: The results showed that there were significant differences in both groups after the intervention. Statistically significant results on food consumption in the treatment group included energy (p = 0.002), protein (p = 0.000), and carbohydrate (p = 0.024), whereas in the control group statistically significant on protein (p = 0.002) and fat (p = 0.005). Moreover, there were no significant differences between study groups after the intervention, while there was a significant difference in mean scores of protein and fat intake between groups after the intervention. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the two forms of intervention in this study had almost the same effect on the subject’s consumption, except for protein and fat intake. As a vulnerable group, children of orphanages need to pay attention to their nutritional and health conditions. In addition, campaign of isi piringku using piring makanku needs to be made in the form of lunch boxes to school.