Effectiveness of Baby Massage in Stunting Prevention: a Systematic Review

Abstract

Stunting remains a major global health problem characterized by a child’s height-for-age below the standard deviation (< -2 SD or < -3 SD). Infants with low birth weight and birth length <48 cm are at higher risk of developing stunting due to impaired growth and development. Early stimulation, such as infant massage, is considered a potential intervention to support optimal growth and development outcomes in early childhood and to improve overall child health status significantly.

This study aimed to systematically review the effectiveness of infant massage in preventing stunting. A literature review was conducted by searching articles in Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect published between 2013 and 2023. A total of 17 articles were identified from electronic databases, and no additional records were found through manual searching. After screening and eligibility assessment, 14 articles were excluded, and 3 full-text articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis process.

The findings indicated that 2 studies reported a significant increase in body length among infants aged 0–24 months following infant massage intervention, while 1 study showed a significant increase in body weight among children aged 2–3 years (ρ < 0.05). These results suggest that infant massage contributes positively to child growth outcomes.

In conclusion, infant massage is an effective intervention to promote infant growth and may help prevent stunting. It is recommended that pregnant women, particularly in the third trimester, receive training in infant massage to enable early tactile stimulation after birth safely and effectively.