This study aimed to describe the nutritional status and dietary patterns of Cambodian school-aged children compared with those in the South East Asian Nutrition Survey (SEANUTS; Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam in 2011) and to clarify the urban-rural differences using data from a nationally representative sample. The survey was conducted in 2014/2015 with a sample of 2020 children aged 6–17 years from 136 randomly selected schools. Standardized anthropometric measurements and a 1-day dietary survey by 24-h recall method were conducted. Extended analyses in the present study revealed that the difference between rural and urban areas was similar to that of the SEANUTS; the overall prevalence of stunting remained high (33.2%). Stunting was more prevalent in children living in rural areas than in those in urban areas (total: 36.4% vs. 20.4%). In contrast, the overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was not as high (3.1%), but was higher among urban children in all age groups compared with those living in rural areas (total: 6.4% vs. 2.3%). Overall, the dietary intake of children did not meet the local recommended dietary allowances, which was similar to the results of the SEANUTS and differed across urban and rural areas.

Background The nutritional status of school-aged children in Cambodia remains largely unknown. No tools for large-scale assessment of daily nutrient intake exist for this population, making development of appropriate intervention strategies difficult. Thus, we aimed to devise and validate a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) that is suitable for and dedicated to assessing the dietary intake of macronutrients and calcium in school-aged children in Cambodia. Methods We developed an FFQ based on data from a single 24-h recall survey of 2020 children. The final list, which was developed as specified in the Block method and stepwise multiple regression analysis, comprised of 56 food items covering intake of energy, macronutrients, and calcium. We assessed the validity of the FFQ by comparison with a duplicated 24-h recall survey before and after de-attenuation. We also tested the reproducibility by comparing the first and second FFQs (FFQ1 and FFQ2) administered at an interval of approximately 6 weeks. Results The 56 food items in the FFQ accounted for 73.3% of the dietary calcium intake of Cambodian children and explained most of the inter-individual variation (cumulative R 2 : 0.96). The intake estimated by the FFQ was lower than the average intake across the two 24-h recall surveys. Spearman’s correlation coefficients for comparison between FFQ1 and FFQ2 ranged from 0.29 for fat to 0.47 for calcium. After de-attenuation of data, Pearson’s correlation coefficients ranged from 0.38 for fat to 0.71 for energy. Cross-classification analysis indicated that the average percentage of the subjects classified in the same or adjacent quartiles was 78.0%. Conclusions The FFQ is potentially a reliable scale for measuring nutrient intake in this population.