{
  "abstract": "AimThis 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.\n\nMethodsWe 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.\n\nResultsThe 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.\n\nConclusionMore 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 womens nutrition.\n\nWHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS TOPICMinimum 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.\n\nWHAT THIS STUDY ADDSUsing 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.\n\nHOW THIS STUDY MIGHT AFFECT RESEARCH, PRACTICE OR POLICYThe 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.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Calmette Hospital: Hopital Calmette"
  ],
  "article_type": "PUBLISHAHEADOFPRINT",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "C. Sieng"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Um"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Heng"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/43h98h1c2n3j7.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.13.26365381",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.13.26365381v1.full",
  "id": "43h98h1c2n3j7",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.13.26365381v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "medrxiv",
      "nutrition"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2916|Child Nutrition and Water Access"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221826633",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.13.26365381v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-13",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/43h98h1c2n3j7.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:50Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.13.26365381",
      "source": "medrxiv",
      "url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.13.26365381v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "medrxiv:nutrition",
      "subfield": "nutrition"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Dietary Diversity and Underweight Among Women Aged 15-49 Years in Cambodia: Analysis of the 2021-22 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey",
  "title_text": "Dietary Diversity and Underweight Among Women Aged 15-49 Years in Cambodia: Analysis of the 2021-22 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:50Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/43h98h1c2n3j7",
  "venue": "medRxiv",
  "versions": []
}