Dietary Diversity and Underweight Among Women Aged 15–49 Years in Cambodia: Analysis of the 2021–22 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey
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Aim
This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and distribution of minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W) and underweight/thinness and examine sociodemographic and dietary factors associated with underweight/thinness among Cambodian women aged 15–49 years.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 9,181 women aged 15–49 years (9,262.5 weighted) from the 2021–22 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey. Survey-weighted descriptive statistics and provincial mapping were used to describe MDD-W, food-group consumption and underweight/thinness. Rao–Scott chi-square tests assessed group differences, and survey-weighted logistic regression estimated factors associated with underweight/thinness. MDD-W and household wealth were retained a priori in the adjusted model, while other covariates with an overall crude Wald P value <0.20 were included.
Results
The analysis included 9,181 women (9,262.5 weighted). Overall, 57.2% achieved MDD-W, and 6.7% had underweight/thinness; 22.8% were overweight, and 5.7% had obesity. Underweight/thinness was highest among women aged 20–24 years (17.7%). Achieving MDD-W was not associated with underweight/thinness in crude analysis (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.17; P=0.545). In the adjusted analysis, the association remained imprecise (aOR 0.86, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.09; P=0.219). Provincial estimates showed geographic variation in both MDD-W and underweight/thinness.
Conclusion
More than half of Cambodian women achieved MDD-W, while underweight/thinness coexisted with overweight and obesity. MDD-W was not clearly associated with underweight/thinness. These findings support monitoring dietary diversity, anthropometric status, and socioeconomic inequalities together in women’s nutrition.
WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS TOPIC
Minimum dietary diversity for women is a population-level indicator of dietary diversity and a proxy for micronutrient adequacy among non-pregnant women aged 15–49 years. Cambodia is experiencing a nutrition transition in which undernutrition coexists with increasing overweight and obesity.
WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS
Using nationally representative 2021–22 Cambodia DHS data, this study describes MDD-W, individual food-group consumption, age-appropriate underweight/thinness, the full nutritional-status distribution, and provincial variation among women aged 15–49 years.
HOW THIS STUDY MIGHT AFFECT RESEARCH, PRACTICE OR POLICY
The results can support nutrition surveillance and help identify population groups and geographic areas requiring closer attention. Because MDD-W captures dietary diversity rather than total energy intake, it should be interpreted alongside anthropometry and other indicators of diet and nutritional status.
