Advancements in technology have made it easier for Cambodian youth to get information about health; so they are now more aware of the importance of staying healthy. Most of them focus their efforts on their diet and their eating habits, but there is still a lack of exercising and meditations, such as yoga. This is because they do not fully understand the value of these exercises for the mind and body. It is important to stay both physically and mentally healthy. Meditation, exercising, and doing yoga can help you stay physically healthy because they will help build up your muscles, strengthen your bones and joints, and aid your body in resisting any kind of disease. Meditation also puts your mind at peace and will make you feel fresh and allow you to snap out of a bad mood.”

I don’t know if Cambodian young people are very aware of health issues because there are a lot of things that they don’t discuss. Also there is a lot of misinformation spread either by their friends or the Internet.

The biggest problems here in Cambodia are problems of malnutrition and other health problems mostly related to environmental and lifestyle problems. We know that major illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer are related to environmental and lifestyle problems such as smoking and drinking, eating an improper diet, a lack of exercising, and environmental pollution. A lot of people try to stay healthy by frequently seeking medical care, but in some ways this is a mistake. Staying healthy is not just about preventative medicines like vaccinations, but also not smoking, not drinking, and eating healthy.

Young people tend to not think about getting old, sick, or dying. They like taking risks like driving fast, experiencing with drugs, and having sex. These kinds of things are called risky behaviors. Still, there are some young people care about exercising, eating proper food, and living a good life.”

Heang Sosarina, a graduate of the nursing programme at International University

I think about eating and living healthy. I am almost always careful about the food I put in my body and I make sure that everything is clean, from how it is cooked to the dishes and spoonsI use to eat. It is also important take care of your body by making sure you have good hygiene by cleaning your nails and teeth. When I was little, my family told me to wash up hands before eating, and now that I am a nurse I understand why it is important, and how to live healthily. I have started to eat more vegetables and fruit and I know it is effective because I am feeling fresh and healthy. I think most young Cambodians don’t care about their health, partly because they feel that they are still young."

Chhorn Rada, junior in the Royal University of Phnom Penh’s Psychology Department

Staying healthy is the most important thing in a human beings’ life because if you get sick, there is often nothing you can do.

To maintain good health, I manage my eating and sleeping habits, making sure that I there is plenty of nutrition in the food I eat and that I sleep enough.

Some youth care about their health and others don’t. Some boys like playing football and some girls stay fit by doing aerobics. Some young women, however, go on diet just to keep their shape, not to be healthy. They do not necessarily focus on staying healthy. Also, there are a lot of young people who love fast food, which is really bad for your health.

Yet, our young generation can learn about health via rich information sources such as the Internet, books, magazines, newspapers, and other media. We should also encourage more seminars on health issues.”

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