Associations Among Nutrition Knowledge, Dietary Patterns, and Nutritional Status in West Likupang Adolescents

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical period for establishing healthy dietary practices. Understanding nutrition knowledge, dietary patterns, and nutritional status can inform school-based nutrition education that incorporates locally available foods. This study examined the associations among nutrition knowledge, dietary patterns, and nutritional status among adolescents in West Likupang, North Minahasa Regency, to inform the development of Zimbalok, a balanced nutrition education approach integrating local foods, menu planning, balanced-plate guidance, and practical food preparation. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using questionnaire and anthropometric data from 65 seventh-grade students aged 12–15 years at SMP Negeri 2 Likupang Barat. Nutrition knowledge and dietary patterns were assessed using questionnaires, while nutritional status was evaluated using body mass index-for-age (BMI-for-age) and height-for-age. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests, with statistical significance set at *p* < 0.05. Most participants were 13 years old (80.0%) and male (58.5%). Poor nutrition knowledge and poor dietary patterns were observed in 66.2% and 44.6% of participants, respectively. Based on BMI-for-age, 83.1% had normal nutritional status, 9.2% had thinness, 4.6% had severe thinness, and 3.1% were overweight. Height-for-age assessments indicated that 15.4% were short and 3.1% were severely short. Nutrition knowledge was significantly associated with dietary patterns (*p* = 0.002). Dietary patterns were also significantly associated with height-for-age (*p* = 0.004) and BMI-for-age (*p* = 0.006), whereas nutrition knowledge was not significantly associated with either anthropometric indicator (*p* = 0.174 and *p* = 0.476, respectively). These findings highlight the need for nutrition education that integrates practical dietary skills and locally available foods, providing preliminary evidence to inform Zimbalok development. However, the cross-sectional design does not establish causal relationships or demonstrate the effectiveness of Zimbalok.