The Vietnam General Nutrition Survey 2009–10 report, released on April4, revealed that 29.3 percent of children under the age of five suffersfrom stunted growth seriously affecting socio-economic developmentpotential.
The study also showed that the rate of pre-school children who areunderweight was 17.5per cent, in 2010. In other words, Vietnam has2.1 million stunted and 1.3 million underweight children.
Another alarming finding was that children in remote areas suffer theconsequences of malnutrition at a rate twice as high as those who grewup in more developed regions of the country.
Scientificstudies have proven that the effects of malnutrition go beyond thepotential growth rate of individual children, but can also have animpact on the social and economic development of the country.
Nguyen Viet Tien, Deputy Health Minister, said, "This study hasprovided a more comprehensive picture of the nutritional situation offamilies in Vietnam . This information adds to a wider understandingof the importance of the issue to our country."
Otherproblems revealed by the survey included an obesity rate among childrenclose to 6 per cent. In large urban areas, such as HCM City andHanoi , the rates are as high as 12-15 percent.
Since 2006, the childhood obesity rate for children under five has seen a six-fold rise.
"We face two challenges. On the one hand, malnutrition remains aproblem in much of the rural areas of Vietnam , particularly inmountainous regions. At the same time, urban areas are facing theproblem of childhood obesity. The situation requires quick action so wedon't make the same mistakes as middle-income countries," said Tien.
The average rate of reduction was 1.3 per cent per year for stuntedchildren and 7.1 percent for underweight children from 1995 to 2010,according to the survey.
The same day, the Government launched a National Nutrition Strategy through 2020.
Rajen Kumar Sharma, a representative from UNICEF said, "The NationalNutrition Strategy particularly addresses the very important problem ofstunted growth as a result of malnutrition. Now we are attempting todraw the attention of investors and other stakeholders to theseriousness of the issue."
The National Nutrition StrategyPlan through 2020, which includes a vision towards 2030, was adoptedthis February by the Government. The overall goal of the strategy is toimprove the physical and mental well-being of the population by ensuringadequate nutrition.
The stratery plans to reduce stuntingrate in children under five years old to 23 percent and underweightchildren to 12.5 percent by 2020.
The strategy focuses onthe quality of meals by providing mothers with information about goodnutritional practices to minimise the negative effects of obesity andmalnutrition. An important part of the programme is also to educate theadult population about dietary standards.
The survey,conducted by the National Institute of Nutrition, included over 37,000people from 8,400 households, and covered over 63 provinces and citiesnationwide.-VNA
The study also showed that the rate of pre-school children who areunderweight was 17.5per cent, in 2010. In other words, Vietnam has2.1 million stunted and 1.3 million underweight children.
Another alarming finding was that children in remote areas suffer theconsequences of malnutrition at a rate twice as high as those who grewup in more developed regions of the country.
Scientificstudies have proven that the effects of malnutrition go beyond thepotential growth rate of individual children, but can also have animpact on the social and economic development of the country.
Nguyen Viet Tien, Deputy Health Minister, said, "This study hasprovided a more comprehensive picture of the nutritional situation offamilies in Vietnam . This information adds to a wider understandingof the importance of the issue to our country."
Otherproblems revealed by the survey included an obesity rate among childrenclose to 6 per cent. In large urban areas, such as HCM City andHanoi , the rates are as high as 12-15 percent.
Since 2006, the childhood obesity rate for children under five has seen a six-fold rise.
"We face two challenges. On the one hand, malnutrition remains aproblem in much of the rural areas of Vietnam , particularly inmountainous regions. At the same time, urban areas are facing theproblem of childhood obesity. The situation requires quick action so wedon't make the same mistakes as middle-income countries," said Tien.
The average rate of reduction was 1.3 per cent per year for stuntedchildren and 7.1 percent for underweight children from 1995 to 2010,according to the survey.
The same day, the Government launched a National Nutrition Strategy through 2020.
Rajen Kumar Sharma, a representative from UNICEF said, "The NationalNutrition Strategy particularly addresses the very important problem ofstunted growth as a result of malnutrition. Now we are attempting todraw the attention of investors and other stakeholders to theseriousness of the issue."
The National Nutrition StrategyPlan through 2020, which includes a vision towards 2030, was adoptedthis February by the Government. The overall goal of the strategy is toimprove the physical and mental well-being of the population by ensuringadequate nutrition.
The stratery plans to reduce stuntingrate in children under five years old to 23 percent and underweightchildren to 12.5 percent by 2020.
The strategy focuses onthe quality of meals by providing mothers with information about goodnutritional practices to minimise the negative effects of obesity andmalnutrition. An important part of the programme is also to educate theadult population about dietary standards.
The survey,conducted by the National Institute of Nutrition, included over 37,000people from 8,400 households, and covered over 63 provinces and citiesnationwide.-VNA
