Background: Cambodia is among the 28 worst countries globally with the highest rates of childhood malnutrition. The aim of the assessment was to apply published evidence associating malnutrition and a variety of functional consequences to project economic implications of this high rate of childhood malnutrition. Such information is vital to advocate for appropriate programs and action plan to reduce malnutrition (from severe stunting to micronutrient deficiencies).
Methods: This exercise used a "consequence model" to apply these "coefficients of loss" established in the global scientific literature to Cambodia health, demographic and economic data to develop a national estimation of the economic losses link to malnutrition.
Results: The impact of the indicators of malnutrition analysed represent a burden to the national economy of Cambodia estimated at more than $400 million annually -2.5% of GDP. Micronutrient deficiencies suggest deficits in the quality of the diet - representing a national burden of more than $200 million annually while breastfeeding behaviours account for 6% of the burden. 57% of the losses emerge from indicators measured in children, while 43% of losses are from indicators independent of childhood measurements - indicators of maternal behaviour along with maternal and adult nutrition.
Conclusions: Given the low cost of interventions and the high baseline losses, investment in nutrition programs in Cambodia is likely to offer high returns and attractive benefit cost ratios. Since nearly half the losses are determined prior to the birth of the child, this has implications for targeting and timing of programs.
背景：柬埔寨是全球28 个儿童营养不良发生率最高的国家之一。本文的目的 是运用已发表的营养不良相关的证据及对各种功能的影响，来评估儿童营养不 良高发率的经济影响。这些信息对提出合适的方案和行动计划来降低营养不良 （从严重的发育迟缓到微量营养素缺乏）是至关重要的。方法：本研究用全 球科学文献中关于柬埔寨人的健康、人口和文化的数据，使用“结果模型”，应 用“损失系数”以评估国家与营养不良相关的经济损失。结果：据估计因营养不 良指标的影响，柬埔寨国家经济负担每年增加4 亿美元以上，约占国家GDP 的2.5%。微量营养素缺乏表明膳食质量差，每年给国家造成超过2 亿的负 担，其中母乳喂养行为占6%。57%的损失来自儿童测量指标，其他43%的损 失来自独立于儿童测量的相关指标，如孕产妇的行为指标及孕产妇和成人的营 养。结论：鉴于干预成本低、基线损失高，在柬埔寨投资营养计划有可能获 得高回报和引人注目的收益成本比。由于将近一半的损失在孩子出生之前就决 定了，这预示着项目投资的定位和时间应放在出生前。