The effectiveness of infant massage on immunity in stunting infants: Il-6 levels and infection rates

Abstract

Stunting represents chronic malnutrition in early childhood that significantly impairs immune function and increases susceptibility to infections. Infant massage has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention that enhances immunity through lymphatic stimulation. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of baby massage on immunological function in stunted infants aged 6-12 months, evaluated through IL-6 concentrations and infection incidence measurements. A quasi-experimental pre-post-test design involved 80 stunted infants in Blora Regency, randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=40) and a control group (n=40). The intervention group received standard nutritional supplementation plus infant massage (30 minutes daily) for three months, while the control group received only standard supplementation. Baseline IL-6 levels were significantly elevated in the control group (4.59±3.30 pg/ml) compared to the intervention group (1.39±0.90 pg/ml, p<0.001). Post-intervention, both groups showed a reduction in IL-6 levels: the intervention group achieved 1.03±0.45 pg/ml and the control group 3.87±1.90 pg/ml (p<0.001). The post-intervention infection incidence was markedly lower in the intervention group (20%) compared to the control group (62.5%, p<0.05). The intervention group demonstrated statistically significant IL-6 improvement (p=0.003), while the control group showed no significant change (p=0.245). Infant massage significantly enhances immune functionality in stunted infants through reduced IL-6 concentrations and decreased infection incidence, demonstrating its potential as a complementary nutritional intervention in stunting management.

Keywords: IL-6, immunology, infant massage, infection, stunting