Emerging

Trends in
Dietetics
Becoming culturally competent on:!
Cambodia
!
ARAMARK Dietetic Internship!
Berta Yatcha!
Annie Zappulla!
Summer Geers!
April 23, 2017!
 Introduction!
Health care professionals encounter a wide array of
cultures in our American melting pot
Important for dietitians and nutrition-related
professionals to be competent with the Cambodian
culture in order to provide quality care
Approximately 320,000 Cambodians currently live
in the United States9
DifHicult for Cambodians to conform with American
lifestyle, many worked as farmers in their country5
 Traditional Meal Patterns and Dishes!
Staples: White rice
Animal
Vegetables
protein
Common Ingredients:14
Shrimp Stir fry vegetables
Eggplant Meals
Coconut Tend to be low in fat, calories, and sweets
Mango Typically low in protein and high in starches
Pineapple Eat using mainly chopsticks14
Watermelon Leaving food behind is considered wasteful and
Okra frowned upon15
 Communication Guidelines!
The traditional greeting is to place the hands 19

together, with the palms touching (a sampeah)

Asking someones age is important for Cambodians so

that elders are addressed with respect

Direct eye contact is considered rude, while avoiding

it is respectful

Its impolite for members of the opposite sex to have

physical contact3
 Health Beliefs and Practices!
Spiritual and holistic practices are preferred over surgery and
medication2

Natural remedies created from own herb gardens2

Teas, broths, steam inhalants, balms2 20

Therapeutic exercises are practiced5

Massage, cupping, moxibustion, coining

It is essential to be in balance with natural forces7

 Barriers to Good Nutrition!
Quality of life over length - often disregard medical
attention4

Lack of trust for health care professionals4

High unemployment with low education level4

21% without healthcare coverage9

Belief that removal of blood through the body will throw
off the bodys balance. 4
 Significant Health Problems!
Hypocalcemia
Secondary to lactose intolerance5
Diabetes
45% higher than Californias state
average5
Ischemic Heart Disease
Number one cause of death of
21

Cambodians16
Thalassemia
A genetic form of anemia4
 Nutrition Counseling Considerations!
Eat less... And more...
Maintain high
Long- short-grain white rice / Whole wheat pasta, quinoa, farro, integration of fresh
noodles millet
fruit and vegetables
Butter, lard, and margarine Healthy fats like canola, olive, and into meals
sunHlower oil
Increase calcium
Sodas Seltzers and water consumption
Beef and lamb Lean proteins - fresh seafood, through non-dairy
poultry, chickpeas, lentils, and soy
proteins
sources
Flavor with common
Soy sauce for Hlavoring Low-sodium soy sauce, fresh herbs
Cambodian
Candy, fried pastries and baked Tropical fruit - papayas, mangos,
goods bananas, coconuts
seasonings
 Menu Development
Menu is largely focused on Switched out Swapped in

meeting therapeutic 1. Orange juice Fresh banana

nutrition requirements 2. Blueberry mufHin Flour tortilla
Seven-day menu adjusted 3. Macaroni & cheese Chicken Chef salad
to better meet the needs of
4. Blueberry mufHin WW bread
Cambodian dietary
preferences 5. WW Pancake WW french toast

Diets modiHied: Friday, 6. Vegetable lasagna Chicken & roasted

Carb Control/2GM;
Wednesday, Regular;
Monday, Heart Healthy/
vegetable salad
7. Cornbread Mixed vegetables
8. Swedish meatballs Turkey sandwich on wheat

2GM 9. WW pancakes HH scrambled eggs

 Menu Nutrition Analysis!

EfHiciently swapped items on House Diet with The Pick List

items to make diet culturally compliant

Multiple meals not at target nutritional proHile

Attempt to manage overconsumption of carbohydrates

Some menu items unavailable in Nutrition Detail Report
 References!
1. About Cambodia: Traditions & Culture. Cambodia: Region of Wonder. http://www.tourismcambodia.org/contents/about_cambodia/#comp.
Published 2016.

2. 2. Marston J. Culture of Cambodia. Countries and their Cultures. http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Cambodia.html. Published 2007.

3. Goldberg L. All About Cambodian Food. Move to Cambodia.
http://www.movetocambodia.com/about-cambodia/get-to-know-khmer-culture/food/.

4. Kittler PG, Sucher KP, Nahikian-Nelms M. Food and Culture. 6th ed. United States: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning; August 22, 2011.

5. Cambodian Culture. http://www.ecald.com/Portals/49/Docs/Toolkits/C2%20S6%20Cambodians.pdf.

6. World Health Organizations. Cambodia. http://www.who.int/pmnch/knowledge/publications/cambodia_country_report.pdf. Published
2015.

7. Who are Cambodian Americans. Center for American Progress. https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/AAPI-
Cambodian-factsheet.pdf. Published 2015.

8. Chin M. Fish Akom Cambodias National Dish. http://asiasociety.org/blog/asia/Hish-amok-cambodias-national-dish. Published 2011.

9. Goldberg L. Kuy Teav.
https://www.travelHish.org/eatandmeet_proHile/cambodia/phnom_penh_and_surrounds/phnom_penh/phnom_penh/2115. Published 2015.

10. Goldberg L. 10 Meals Every Visitor to Cambodia Should Try. http://travel.cnn.com/cambodia-best-dishes-cambodia-food-401118/. Published 2013.

11. Veneracion C. Kroeung: Cambodian Marinade/Spice Paste. http://southeastasianfood.about.com/od/marinadesdipssauc2/r/BasicKroeung.htm.
Published 2016.
 References

9. Goldberg L. Kuy Teav. https://www.travelHish.org/eatandmeet_proHile/cambodia/phnom_penh_and_surrounds/phnom_penh/phnom_penh/2115. Published
2015.

10. Goldberg L. 10 Meals Every Visitor to Cambodia Should Try. http://travel.cnn.com/cambodia-best-dishes-cambodia-food-401118/. Published 2013.

11. Veneracion C. Kroeung: Cambodian Marinade/Spice Paste. http://southeastasianfood.about.com/od/marinadesdipssauc2/r/BasicKroeung.htm. Published
2016.

12. Monorom Cambodian Restaurant. http://monoromcambodianrestaurant.com/?p=1092. Published 2013.

13. Cambodia: WHO statistical proHile. World Health Organization country Statistics and Global Health Estimates by WHO and UN Partners.
http://www.who.int/gho/countries/khm.pdf?ua=1. Published January 2015.

14. Nutrition and Fasting in Cambodian Culture. https://ethnomed.org/clinical/nutrition/nutrition-and-fasting-in-cambodian-culture. Published June 2001.

15. Food Dining and Drinks in Cambodia. http://www.safaritheglobe.com/cambodia/culture/food-drinks/. Published March 2013.

16. WDnet Studio. In: StockSnap.io. 2016.

17. Epicurrence. Unsplash. 2016.

18. Taesmileland. Cambobia Map on Cambodia Flag drawing, grunge and retro Hlag ser.Free digital photo. 2014.

19. Sampeh - Khmer Salutations. Leisure cambodia. 2002. http://www.leisurecambodia.com/news/detail.php?id=155

20. Zsuzsa. Free images. 2009. http://www.freeimages.com/photo/lime-Hlower-1057258

21. Thalassemia labeled diagram. Shutterstock. 2016. joshya/Shutterstock.com
Thank You Questions?