Obesity on the rise in Vietnam, warns health ministry

OBESITY is increasing rapidly in the country, especially in big cities, participants heard at a conference to implement the guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of obesity organised by the Medical Services Administration, health Ministry recently.

A survey in Vietnam in 2021 showed that overweight and obesity rates in hanoi and ho Chi Minh City made up 18% of the country’s total number of overweight and obese people.

The obesity rate among children in ages five to 19 years old increased to 19% in 2020 from 8.5% in 2010, of which the overweight and obesity rate in urban areas was 26.8%, 18.3% in rural areas and 6.9% in mountainous areas, according to the survey.

“Obesity is recognised by the World health Organisation and the American Medical Association as a chronic disease requiring long-term treatment because obesity causes a lot of dangerous complications, affecting people’s health,” said Prof Dr Tran huu Dang, president of the Vietnam Association of endocrinology-diabetes.

he said obesity adversely affects all health problems but measures to prevent and treat being overweight and obese and maintain long-term weight control can improve health status and reduce complications.

“lifestyle interventions are the foundation for maintaining safe and sustainable weight loss, including nutritional interventions, physical exercise, behaviour change, and psychological support,” said Dr Nghiem Nguyet Thu, head of the Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, National institute of Nutrition.

in order to prevent obesity, experts recommend that people should eat healthily and exercise at least 30 minutes a day.