title: Consumption of animal source foods and dietary diversity reduce stunting in children in Cambodia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malnutrition in children is a major public health concern. This study aimed to determine the association between dietary diversity and stunting, underweight, wasting, and diarrhea and that between consumption of each specific food group and these nutritional and health outcomes among children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nationally representative household survey of 6209 children aged 12 to 59 months was conducted in Cambodia. We examined the consumption of food in the 24 hours before the survey and stunting, underweight, wasting, and diarrhea that had occurred in the preceding 2 weeks. A food variety score (ranging from 0 to 9) was calculated to represent dietary diversity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stunting was negatively associated with dietary diversity (adjusted odd ratios [ORadj] 0.95, 95% confident interval [CI] 0.91-0.99, P = 0.01) after adjusting for socioeconomic and geographical factors. Consumption of animal source foods was associated with reduced risk of stunting (ORadj 0.69, 95% CI 0.54-0.89, P < 0.01) and underweight (ORadj 0.74, 95% CI 0.57-0.96, P = 0.03). On the other hand, the higher risk of diarrhea was significantly associated with consumption of milk products (ORadj 1.46, 95% CI 1.10-1.92, P = 0.02) and it was significantly pronounced among children from the poorer households (ORadj 1.85, 95% CI 1.17-2.93, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consumption of a diverse diet was associated with a reduction in stunting. In addition to dietary diversity, animal source food was a protective factor of stunting and underweight. Consumption of milk products was associated with an increase in the risk of diarrhea, particularly among the poorer households. Both dietary diversity and specific food types are important considerations of dietary recommendation.
authors.affiliation: Section of Health Promotion, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo City, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Chau
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Darapheak
authors.affiliation: Section of Health Promotion, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo City, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takehito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.affiliation: Section of Health Promotion, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo City, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kizuki
authors.affiliation: Section of International Health and Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo city, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Section of International Health and Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo city, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaoruko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seino
keywords: Children under 5 years; Demographic and health survey; Food groups; Nutrition status