New research has linked prenatal exposure to deforestation in Cambodia to child stunting and anemia among women. This link between human well-being and forest loss illustrates how the latter can compound preexisting rural health issues in Cambodia, a country notorious for high levels of both deforestation and malnutrition. Gabriel Fuentes Cordoba, an associate professor at Japan’s Sophia University, combined forest loss data with figures from national demographic health surveys for his recent study on Cambodia. In an email interview with Mongabay, Fuentes Cordoba said his analysis found children born to women in villages within 5 kilometers (3 miles) of “areas that experience deforestation a year before their conception are more likely to be shorter and thinner for their age.” The results also found women similarly exposed to deforestation the year before conception are more likely to suffer from anemia, a deficiency of healthy red blood cells, which often correlates with incidences of malaria. Globally, deforestation has been found to exacerbate the risk of malaria. Other recent studies show that the felling of forests, often for agriculture and development, leads to more standing water, creating optimal breeding grounds for malaria parasite-bearing mosquitoes. Deforestation in the Southern Cardamom National Park. Image by Anton L. Delgado. Long-lasting consequences “Health is an important component of human capital,” Fuentes Cordoba said. “For example, there is vast evidence showing that children who are sick perform worse at school. This is just one example of potential long-lasting consequences of how health issues could impact individuals. This could…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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