This phenomenon has been identified in other countries like Laos and Senegal. These declining EBF rates may be partly influenced by an increasing use of breastmilk substitutes, in the context of pervasive promotion of breastmilk substitutes in Cambodia. This downward trend in EBF that Cambodia faces is not only in opposition to the recommendation of increasing EBF rates but may also derail Cambodia from maintaining the WHO's SDG target of EBF rate. The WHO recommends that countries which have met the target of at least 50% should strive for an increase in EBF of at least 1.2% each year. However, there has in fact been a decline in the practice of EBF by 8.3% from 2010. Cambodia's better relative performance is in addition to a reduction in infant mortality rates between 20. Cambodia also fared better in EBF practice than some developed countries like the United Arab Emirates (25%) and Australia (15.4%). The prevalence of EBF in Cambodia is higher than many other developing countries, as found in studies conducted in Ethiopia in 2015 (29.3%), Indonesia in 2012 (43.6%), Sri Lanka in 2016 (50.8%), Bangladesh in 2014 (55%), and Ghana in 2017 (63%).

This meets the WHO's global nutrition target of increasing the rate of EBF in the first six months of life to at least 50%, so to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 2.2 to end malnutrition by 2030. The prevalence of EBF among Cambodian mothers with infants under six months, as found in the 2014 Cambodian Demographic and Health Survey (CDHS), is 65.2%. There is also evidence that EBF reduces a mother's long-term risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. For the breastfeeding mother, lactational amenorrhea is an effective and economical contraceptive method. EBF entails feeding the infant strictly with breastmilk, excluding all other liquid, solid, or semisolid foods, which include water and breastmilk substitutes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends EBF for the first six months of life to achieve optimal outcomes. The early initiation and continuation of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is widely acknowledged as necessary to reduce infection-related mortality and morbidity in infants and is associated with better long-term nutritional and cognitive outcomes in the child.

Asian Cambodian Svay001