Assessing and Addressing Early Childhood Malnutrition in an Isolated Population in Rural Cambodia

Background: Despite impressive economic growth in recent years, early childhood malnutrition remains a problem in rural Cambodia. The Tonle Sap Lake is one of the most remote areas in the country and is inhabited by populations living in floating fishing villages. Extreme poverty and geographical isolation make access to nutritious foods difficult, leaving the local populations vulnerable to undernutrition. Overfishing and poor water resource management further threatens the food security of families in this region. The Lake Clinic Cambodia (TLC) is a non-governmental organization that provides healthcare and education services in this area. TLC has been collecting anthropometric data on children under five years of age who have visited the clinic …