Omega-3-Enriched Fish Nugget Innovation to Enhance Appetite in Toddlers

Abstract

Background: Poor appetite is a common nutritional problem among children under five and may lead to inadequate dietary intake, impaired growth and development, and an increased risk of undernutrition and stunting. Developing nutritious, acceptable, and child-friendly local food products is one strategy to address this issue. Fish nuggets enriched with omega-3 fatty acids provide high-quality  protein and essential fatty acids that may improve children's appetite while supporting optimal nutritional status. This study aimed to determine the effect of omega-3-rich fish nugget supplementation on appetite improvement  among children under five. Methods : A quantitative study with a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design was conducted involving 60 children aged 24–59 months selected through consecutive sampling. Participants were assigned to an intervention group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). The intervention group received 50 g of omega-3-rich fish nuggets daily for 28 days, whereas the control group received routine supplementary food. Appetite was assessed using a modified  Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ) with satisfactory validity and reliability. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, independent t-test, and multiple linear regression at a significance level of p < 0.05. Results : The mean appetite score in the intervention group increased from 42.3 ± 5.6 to 58.6 ± 4.8, while the control group increased from 42.0 ± 5.3 to 47.4 ± 5.1. Independent t-test analysis demonstrated a statistically significant difference in appetite improvement between the two groups (p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression identified omega-3-rich  fish nugget supplementation as the strongest predictor of appetite improvement (β = 0.71; p < 0.001) after  adjustment for age, baseline nutritional status, and intervention adherence. Conclusion : Daily supplementation with omega-3-rich fish nuggets significantly improved appetite among children under five compared with standard supplementary feeding. This locally  based food innovation has the potential to serve as an effective complementary nutritional strategy to improve dietary intake, support child growth, and contribute to undernutrition and stunting prevention programs.