Asian street food - Khmer fast food - Cambodia street food - Mam and fis...

Asian street food - Khmer fast food - Cambodia street food - Mam and fish river food 2019 🍗🍖🍪🥓

Asian street food - Khmer fast food - Cambodia street food - Mam and fish river food 2019 🍗🍖🍪🥓

In Cambodia, the rates of noncommunicable diseases and the economy are growing in lockstep.

Diabetes, cancer, heart disease and respiratory illnesses caused 56 percent of deaths in Cambodia in 2014—up from 35 percent in 2011 —and rates are projected to rise further, according to data from the WHO and Ministry of Health. Diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer have been linked to poor diet.

A study published this month in the journal Nutrients shows that for the first time, the number of overweight women in Cambodia is greater than that of underweight women.

Local representatives of Burger King and Krispy Kreme—which is set to open its first outlet in Cambodia later this month—acknowledged that their products were not healthy, but said it was up to customers to show restraint.

“Our brand is about sharing treats with others,” said Martin Leclercq, business development manager of Krispy Kreme. “We expect people to make choices in accordance with their lifestyle.”

A sign indicates the future location of a Carl’s Jr. outlet on Street 51.

Mr. Jerome of KFC said the franchise’s offerings were more fresh and hygienic than most food available at local restaurants.

“We are giving them one of the better options,” he said.

Although fast food isn’t the sole cause of rising rates of diseases, the data is particularly striking in a country where less than a third of children between the ages of 6 and 8 months met WHO standards for a “minimum acceptable diet,” according to research from Hellen Keller International (HKI).

Reversing the situation should be prioritized because “over nutrition during childhood is thought to be linked with the risk of nutrition-related non-communicable diseases such as diabetes later on in life,” HKI country director Keith Porter said in an email.

Sugary diets are also partially to blame for a “frightening” dental situation, said Dr. Bethy Turton of Phnom Penh’s Roomchang Dental Hospital, with Cambodian children showing the most decayed teeth in the region.

Sweet and processed foods “basically ruins the metabolism and from an oral health perspective, those foods select for ‘bad bacteria’ to dominate at the surface of the teeth,” she said in an email.

Some argue that regulations could push consumers in the right direction when faced with the choice between fast food and healthier alternatives.

Maurits van Pelt, director of Phnom Penh’s street food Patient Information Center, pointed to Thailand’s proposed sugar tax—which, according to the Bangkok Post, would raise the cost of soft drinks by nearly 50 percent—as an example worth replicating in Cambodia.

“It would generate money, which could then be used to help people get treatment and finance these costs, which no one wants to pay for,” Mr. Soo Van said.

But taxes might not be enough to keep Mr. King 007 away from his bacon cheeseburger with fries.

“Sometimes, I miss the place because I miss the taste,” he said with a guilty smile.