Nutrition shortfalls harming Kingdom's economy, report finds

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Nutrition shortfalls harming Kingdom's economy, report finds

Wed, 18 May 2016

Erin Handley

Malnutrition costs the Cambodian economy an estimated $266 million each year, according to a new report, which urged the government to invest more in tackling the problem.

Stunting was responsible for most of the cost, at $120 million, while iodine deficiency set the economy back $57 million, according to the authors of the report, titled The Economic Burden of Malnutrition in Pregnant Women and Children under 5 Years of Age in Cambodia and published in science journal Nutrients on Saturday.

The report estimated the cost of lost productivity in the workforce as a result of malnutrition-related child deaths, reduced physical and cognitive ability and preventable health care expenses.

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