The above information was shared by experts at the Workshop with the theme: "Comprehensive development of Vietnamese youth: Creating resources for the new era" co-organized by Nhan Dan Newspaper and the Ministry of Education and Training on May 12, 2026, with the companionship of Nestle' Vietnam.
Vietnamese children are facing a "double burden of nutrition
The workshop was organized to effectively implement the spirit and key tasks of Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW and Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW of the Politburo on developing education, training and breakthroughs in the work of protecting, caring for, and improving people's health in the new period; and at the same time concretize the viewpoint of comprehensive human development, building a young generation of Vietnam with sufficient intellect, physical strength, skills and bravery to meet the development requirements of the country in the new era.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Diem - Deputy Head of Non-Communicable Disease Control and Nutrition Department, Department of Disease Prevention, Ministry of Health said that in recent years, the work of nutrition care and physical development for children, especially school-age children, has achieved remarkable achievements.
However, besides the achieved results, the work of nutrition and physical care for school-age children in Vietnam has also revealed many shortcomings and inadequacies such as: Double burden of nutrition; Lack of micronutrients (iron, zinc, vitamin D); Uneven and unbalanced quality of school meals; School nutrition has not been given due attention and investment,...
Overweight and obesity in children under 5 years old is 7.4% (9.8% in urban areas; 5.3% in rural areas) and very high in school children (5 - 19 years old) increasing twice as quickly after 10 years (19.0% in 2020, of which the rapid increase in urban areas and developed areas is 26.8%), accompanied by the consequence of increasing metabolic disorders and non-communicable diseases in students" - Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Diem cited actual data.
Dr. Nguyen Do Van Anh, Institute of Nutrition, Ministry of Health, also said that in recent years, Vietnam has made remarkable progress in improving children's nutrition. However, the current picture is becoming more complicated as our country simultaneously faces the "double burden of nutrition", which is the simultaneous existence of malnutrition and overweight, obesity in the same population.
This is also a common trend in developing countries in the process of nutritional transition, associated with urbanization, economic growth and changes in the food system. The results of a global student health behavior survey in Vietnam (GSHS) show that nearly 80% of students do not meet the recommended physical activity levels...
Many comprehensive development solutions for the young generation of Vietnam
Mr. Nguyen Nho Huy, Deputy Director of the Department of Students, Ministry of Education and Training, said that in the past time, the education sector has implemented many school health care programs, nutrition education and increased physical activity for students (HSSV); gradually building a comprehensive education environment, putting learners at the center.
However, besides the achieved results, the work of protecting, caring for, and improving students' health shows that there are still many limitations, inadequacies, difficulties, and challenges.
To ensure that the guidelines of Resolution 71 and Resolution 72 truly go into life, towards comprehensively developing the young generation of Vietnam, representatives of the Ministry of Education and Training proposed that the Government direct the development and promulgation of synchronous national policies on school health in the direction of integrating nutrition-motorization-school sports, ensuring unity and intercommunication between current programs and projects, thereby creating a foundation for comprehensive physical development, stature and quality of national human resources.
Along with that, prioritize allocating investment resources from the state budget, and at the same time improve mechanisms and policies to promote socialization in the fields of student health care, physical education and school sports,...
At the same time, there needs to be close coordination from the Ministry of Health, the attention of the People's Committees of provinces and cities to ensure minimum conditions for students to study, take care of their health and regularly exercise...
