Dietary factors and food preparation techniques related to iron absorption - Knowledge and practice in the Kandal Province, Cambodia

Introduction Malnutrition and coexisting micronutrient deficiencies are common in the developing world. A high prevalence of anemia is found in Cambodia with children and women being the most affected. Anemia is defined as lack of red blood cells, resulting in impaired blood function and poor oxygen transport. Iron deficiency (ID) is often an underlying factor of anemia. Diet modifications to increase intake and absorption of iron can to some extent prevent iron deficiency anemia (IDA), which is often caused by lack of iron in the diet. Objective The aim was to study knowledge and practice regarding food preparation techniques and dietary factors related to iron absorption in Kandal Province, Cambodia. Method Structured interviews based on a written questionnaire consisting of 17 closed questions were conducted in eight villages in Kandal Province, Cambodia. A total of 143 questionnaires were collected for analysis. Chi-square tests were performed using SPSS 18.0 and the significance level was set to p<0.05. Results The food habits showed lack of diversity. The diet was mainly rice based and red meat consumption was low. The majority used an iron pot for cooking, although not many knew that it could enhance the iron content in the food. The knowledge on bioavailability of iron appears to be limited. A significant correlation was found between those who had received information on iron and those who stated that red meat is a good source of iron(p=0.046). Conclusion Knowledge on food preparation techniques, dietary sources of iron, stimulatingand inhibiting factors for iron absorption appears to be limited. Interventions including education on bioavailability and how to enhance the iron content in the diet are important and they should be adapted to the local community.