VietNamNet Bridge - In 10 years, the average height of the Vietnamese people rose only 1cm, but the proportion of children under 5 years of age who are overweight and obese increased 9 times.

Mr. Trinh Hong Son, Director of the Information and Communications Center of the National Institute of Nutrition says that in 2000 the percentage of kids with overweight and obesity in Vietnam was only 0.62 percent, the rate was 5.6 percent (approximately 400,000 children) ten year later. This rate was nearly 10 percent in Da Nang and 9.6 percent in HCM City.

Dr. Le Bach Mai, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, says that Vietnam has approximately 95,000-100,000 children with overweight and obesity each year. There are many factors associated with this situation. First and foremost is the change in meals.

A survey by the National Institute of Nutrition shows that consumption of rice and meat changes greatly, especially meat, which increased rapidly from 11g/person/day in the 80’s to 84g in 2010. Meanwhile consumption of fish and vegetables rose slowly.

Also, according to Dr. Mai, urban kids today do not have much time to play outdoors and they are cared so carefully by their parents resulting in being overweight. A recent study in Hanoi reveals that 53 percent of the mothers did not know that their children were overweight. Some parents still believe that children are only cute if they are plump.

Le Ha