ការប្រើប្រាស់រុក្ខជាតិក្នុងស្រុកសម្រាប់ដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាកង្វះអាហារូបត្ថម្ភនៅកម្ពុជា

Abstract

• Nutritional deficiency can cause a serious problem for human health. This paper aims to explore and predict the nutrition status in Cambodia, as well as provide recommendations for addressing the burden of malnutrition via the utilization of local plants as part of a plant-based diet. • Data on childhood stunting, thinness, and anemia among women from 2000 to 2019 were used to explore the nutrition status and projecting forward to the next decade using R statistical software. • Results showed that one out of five children aged under 5 years old had stunting, whereas one out of ten children (5-19 years old) had thinness, and one out of two women, particularly those in rural areas, had anaemia. • Relevant national policies and evidence from recent research are discussed and used to support the idea proposed for the utilization of local plants. These plants can serve as resources for new product development, such as snacks and sweetened beverages for the specific nutrition needs (e.g., Fe, Zn, and vitamins A, B, C) of children and women. They can also support other healthy food functions such as antioxidants, antiaging, high fibre, etc. • These local plants should be prioritized to support their development and use to address the nutritional issues in Cambodia.