Nutrition

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Background
Poor nutrition is a serious public health problem in Cambodia. According to the 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, 57% of Cambodian children under five years old are moderately or severely stunted, 38% are underweight, and 64% are anemic. Signs of malnutrition begin to appear in children at six months of age and are seen across the socio-economic spectrum, indicating that poor dietary practices, as well as poverty and poor access to food, contribute to malnutrition among young children. Among women of reproductive age, over half are anemic, putting them at increased risk of poor birth outcomes such as premature deliveries, low infant birth weights, and hemorrhaging in mothers that can lead to death. While Cambodia saw some progress on many nutrition indicators from 2000 to 2005, this progress appears to have slowed or, in some cases, stalled since then.

Objectives
USAID is helping the Ministry of Health develop effective nutrition strategies and strengthen community-level nutrition activities. To complement this policy-level work, USAID led a study of micronutrient and safe motherhood pharmaceutical stock management, which helps to ensure that vitamin A, iron/folic acid, mebendazole, and magnesium sulfate are accessible throughout the country. In addition, USAID is training over 24,000 health providers and community volunteers in early and exclusive breastfeeding and appropriate infant and young child feeding. In addition, USAID activities are taking a food-based approach to supporting food security objectives to improve dietary choices and access to food. Activities will emphasize the cultivation of home and community gardens for food-insecure households, as well as provide messaging to rural communities on making nutritious dietary decisions.