The Effectiveness of Citronella Oil Aromatherapy on Improving Appetite among Undernourished Toddlers at Kasarangan Community Health Center
Keywords:
Appetite, Aromatherapy, Citronella Oil, Toddlers, UndernutritionAbstract
Undernutrition among toddlers remains a significant public health problem because it may affect growth, development, and overall health status. One of the contributing factors to undernutrition is decreased appetite, which can lead to inadequate nutritional intake. Citronella oil aromatherapy is a non-pharmacological intervention that has the potential to stimulate appetite through olfactory pathways and relaxation effects. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of citronella oil aromatherapy in improving appetite among undernourished toddlers at Kasarangan Community Health Center. This study employed a quantitative approach with a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. A total of 30 undernourished toddlers were recruited using a total sampling technique. Appetite levels were measured before and after the administration of citronella oil aromatherapy using an appetite assessment questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test. The results showed that the mean appetite score increased from 4.93 before the intervention to 7.80 after the intervention. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between pretest and posttest appetite scores (p = 0.000). These findings indicate that citronella oil aromatherapy is effective in improving appetite among undernourished toddlers. Therefore, citronella oil aromatherapy may be considered a safe, practical, and complementary intervention to support nutritional improvement in toddlers with poor appetite
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