The stunting rate among children aged under five in Vietnam has fallen from 29.3 per cent in 2010 to under 18.9 per cent in 2022. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Nutrition experts have called for improving school nutrition to address the rapid increase in overweight and obese children in both rural and urban areas.

The results of the 2019-2020 nutrition census showed that the nutritional status of preschool and school-age children has improved significantly, and the rate of stunting has decreased in both preschool and school-age groups, contributing to improving the height of Vietnamese youth.

However, the rate of overweight and obese preschool and school-age children tends to increase rapidly in both rural and urban areas, which is also a school health issue that needs attention, according to Associate Prof. Bùi Thị Nhung, Head of the Department of School and Professional Nutrition, National Institute of Nutrition (NIN).

“In the coming period, we will continue to face the double burden of nutrition, including the high rate of stunting in mountainous and highland areas, and the rapid increase of overweight and obese children in both rural and urban areas. After 10 years, the rate of overweight and obese children 5-19 years old has increased from 8.5 per cent in 2010 to 19 per cent in 2020. Overweight and obese children face a higher risk of negative health consequences, as these problems affect physical and intellectual development, and increase the risk of non-communicable diseases in adulthood,” said Nhung.

A survey of 5028 students at 75 schools in Hà Nội, HCM City, Thái Nguyên, Nghệ An and Sóc Trăng provinces in 2017-2018 showed that the overall rate of overweight and obesity among primary school students for both rural and urban areas was 29 per cent. The overweight and obese student rate in urban areas (41.9 per cent) was higher than in rural areas (17.8 per cent).

For middle school students, the overall overweight and obesity rate in the two areas was 19.3 per cent, while the rate among students in urban areas (30.5 per cent) was higher than in rural areas (11.2 per cent).

Nhung said that research on the nutritional status of school-age children in Việt Nam and other countries in the region also showed that the double burden of nutrition, with preschool and school-age children tending to be overweight and obese in both rural and urban areas, while in mountainous and highland areas they were more prone to stunting.

“This is one of the challenges in school nutrition and health in the coming period for which we need to continue to build nutrition solutions at school and home, requiring coordination between families, school and society,” said Nhung.

Nhung added that a national nutrition monitoring and assessment network needed to be built and updated annually with data on the nutritional status of children at all levels, serving as a database for adjusting school nutrition policies and interventions, school meals and school nutrition education programmes.

In the coming period, experts proposed that the ministries of education and health develop nutrition guidance documents in schools; strengthen nutrition education communication and develop food standards sold in school canteens. Priorities should be given to implement appropriate school meal models or projects to improve the nutritional status of children and students along with the development and implementation of a programme on overweight and obesity prevention and control for children at all educational levels. — VNS