Tarbiat Modares University (TMU) Health Education and Health Promotion 2588-5715 14 2 2026 07 01 A Predictive Model for Stunting Risk in Infants Using Health Belief Model Constructs and Feeding Indicators 195 203 28755 10.58209/hehp.14.2.195 EN M. Musni Department of Midwifery, Institute Batari Toja Bone, Bone Regency, Indonesia 0000-0003-1490-7896 D. Heriyana Department of Midwifery, Institute Batari Toja Bone, Bone Regency, Indonesia I. Irawati Department of Midwifery, Institute Batari Toja Bone, Bone Regency, Indonesia E. Bujawati Department of Midwifery, Institute Batari Toja Bone, Bone Regency, Indonesia A. Syam Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Alauddin State Islamic University, Makassar, Indonesia M. Malik Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Midwifery Professional Education, Gunung Sari University, Makassar, Indonesia Journal Article 2026 05 07 <strong><span lang="EN-ID">Aims:</span></strong><span lang="EN-ID"> </span><span lang="EN-ID">Stunting in children under five remains a critical public health problem in Indonesia, particularly in rural areas where access to optimal complementary feeding practices and health literacy are limited. This study aimed to develop and validate a predictive model to identify infants aged 6-12 months at risk of stunting using maternal behavioral determinants and feeding indicators. </span> <strong><span lang="EN-ID">Instrument & Methods:</span></strong><span lang="EN-ID"> This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 401 mother–infant dyads in Kabupaten Bone, Indonesia. The model incorporated constructs from the health belief model, including perceived severity, benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action in feeding, based on WHO/UNICEF criteria (minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency, and minimum acceptable diet). Structural equation modeling was applied to test direct and indirect pathways to risk classification. </span> <strong><span lang="EN-ID">Findings:</span></strong><span lang="EN-ID"> </span><span lang="EN-ID">Feeding practices were the strongest direct predictor of stunting risk (β=0.537; p<0.001). Barriers indirectly increased risk by negatively affecting feeding behavior. The model demonstrated an acceptable fit (standardized root mean square residual=0.061) and explained substantial variance in the primary outcomes (R²=0.825 for intention, 0.526 for feeding practices, and 0.542 for risk). </span> <strong><span lang="EN-ID">Conclusion:</span></strong><span lang="EN-ID"> </span><span lang="EN-ID">Maternal beliefs and behavioral intentions highly influence complementary feeding practices, which in turn reduce the risk of stunting in infants</span><span lang="EN-ID">. </span> https://hehp.modares.ac.ir/article_28755_86c26c7eb678214b9749fe1c5364cff2.pdf