Nurturing Body and Spirit: A Christian Early Childhood Education Framework for Optimal Growth and Stunting Prevention
Childhood stunting remains a pressing global health issue, with long-term impacts on physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development. Despite advancements in conventional interventions, success in resource-limited settings is often hindered by cultural and behavioral barriers. This study explores the integration of Christian principles with evidence-based stunting prevention strategies in early childhood education settings, examining their combined impact on physical and spiritual development. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study was conducted over six months in three Christian early learning centers in developing regions. Participants included 50 children aged 2–5 years, 25 parents, 16 teachers, 5 church leaders, and 5 healthcare professionals. The intervention encompassed Bible-based health lessons, prayer-integrated mealtimes, family devotional materials, nutrition education, hygiene training, and community-based health programs. Quantitative data, including anthropometric measurements and dietary diversity scores, were analyzed using SPSS, while qualitative data from interviews, focus groups, and observations underwent thematic analysis with NVivo. Results revealed a 31% reduction in stunting prevalence, an improvement in height-for-age Z-scores, and enhanced dietary diversity (p < 0.001). Family engagement in health-spiritual activities reached 87%, with 92% of families reporting improved understanding of body stewardship. High teacher compliance (94%) and family retention rates (89%) further underscored the program’s effectiveness. This study demonstrates that Christian early childhood frameworks can effectively address stunting while fostering spiritual growth, leveraging community trust and cultural relevance. Future research should focus on scalability, cross-cultural adaptation, and integration with public health systems to maximize impact and sustainability.
Keywords: Early Childhood; stunting; optimal growth
