At the Vietnamese Nutrition Conference organized by the Institute of Nutrition (Ministry of Health) and the Japan Nutrition Association, with the support of TH Group on October 12, Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Thanh Duong, Director of the Institute of Nutrition, Ministry of Health, Vietnamese children are facing 3 nutritional burdens: Malnutrition (especially stunting); overweight, obesity and micronutrient deficiencies.
According to the 2023 national survey, the rate of stunting in children under 5 years old in Vietnam is 18.2% (among the group of countries with stunting rates below 20%, which is the average level according to the classification of the World Health Organization). However, this rate is still high in the Northern midlands and mountainous areas (24.8%) and the Central Highlands (25.9%).
In addition, there is an increase in the rate of overweight and obesity in all subjects, including overweight and obesity in children aged 5-19, increasing from 8.5% in 2010 to 19.0% in 2020 (more than double after 10 years).
To address this situation, the Vietnamese Government has issued the National Nutrition Strategy for the 2021-2030 period, with specific goals to improve the nutritional status of the entire population, especially school-age children and adolescents.
Some of the basic objectives of the Strategy include: Reducing the rate of stunting in children under 5 years old to below 15% by 2030; Controlling the rate of overweight and obesity in children, especially in urban areas, with the goal of keeping this rate below 19% for children aged 5-18 by 2030; Strengthening nutrition education in schools, with the goal of 60% of schools in urban areas and 40% in rural areas organizing school meals and developing menus to meet recommended needs by 2025 and striving to reach 90% and 80% respectively by 2030.
In the field of school nutrition, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thanh De - Director of the Department of Physical Education, Ministry of Education and Training said that the school meal pilot model ensures proper nutrition combined with increased physical activity for Vietnamese children, pupils and students. This model is implemented in 10 provinces and cities across the country, representing 5 ecological regions of Vietnam. Research results show that the pilot model has had a positive effect on the development of children's height and weight and needs to be replicated.
Regarding international experience, Prof. Nakamura Teiji, President of the Japan Nutrition Association, shared that the School Nutrition Law in Japan was issued early, the law both standardizes school meals and focuses on developing nutrition education. To date, 99% of elementary schools and 91.5% of junior high schools in Japan have applied this program.
Ms. Thai Huong, Founder - Chairwoman of TH Group's Strategic Council - provided more information: Compared to the world, Vietnamese people are ranked 15th from the bottom in terms of height. Raising the stature of the Vietnamese people is a mission, a responsibility. And to do better on this issue, according to Ms. Huong, Vietnam needs a legal corridor for school nutrition.
