Two student volleyball teams compete at the National Phù Đổng Sports Competition, an event aimed at promoting school sports. VNA/VNS Photo

Rising rates of scoliosis, obesity and other health concerns among Vietnamese children are prompting urgent appeals from doctors, educators and policymakers for a nationwide push to strengthen school sports, improve nutrition and modernise physical education.

The problem is starkly visible in hospitals. At HCM City's Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Hospital, 14-year-old Nguyễn Hà Nhi from Bình Thuận Province is preparing for urgent spinal surgery.

"At first, she was developing normally," said her mother, Đặng Thị Xuân. "But as she grew, her back became more and more hunched.

"Recently, when we went for another check-up at a higher-level hospital, the doctors told me her condition was serious. If left untreated, it could affect her breathing and nervous system, so she needs surgery right away."

Her story is far from unique.

Director of the hospital’s paediatrics department Võ Quang Đình Nam said the department treats over 100 scoliosis cases requiring surgery each year, with most of them being adolescent girls.

Beyond scoliosis, a new wave of childhood obesity is taking hold, raising alarms about future public health.

Mai Quang Huỳnh Mai, deputy director of the Nutrition Department at HCM City’s Children’s Hospital 2, said obesity was increasingly common among adolescents.

"This is the stage when children begin making their own dietary choices," she explained. "They tend to be less active and consume more fast food and sugary drinks."

At the same time, efforts to improve Vietnamese children’s height face persistent hurdles. Trương Hồng Sơn, director of the Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine, said Việt Nam now ranked fourth in Southeast Asia for average height – 168.1cm for men and 156.2cm for women – and the stunting rate had dropped from 50 per cent to about 20 per cent.

However, he warned, "It’s alarming that up to half of Vietnamese children still fail to reach the international height standard."

While local authorities have piloted obesity prevention programmes in primary schools from 2023–2025, conditions in many schools remain inadequate for promoting physical activity.

In Bình Hưng Commune, HCM City, a volleyball court was found overgrown with weeds and so dilapidated it was nearly inaccessible. The situation reflects broader challenges in maintaining sports facilities, especially in underfunded schools.

According to the Sports Authority of Việt Nam, many schools and residential areas lack playgrounds, equipment and safe spaces for organised activities. Curriculum reform has been slow, and many PE lessons fail to engage students or instil lasting exercise habits.

A PE teacher in Bình Hưng noted worrying trends: "Students’ overall fitness is low compared to the regional average. Many get less than 30 minutes of physical activity per day – especially in big cities. Mental health problems in schools are also becoming a concern. While various health programmes exist, they remain fragmented and lack widespread impact."

"Facilities are lacking, particularly in rural and mountainous areas. Academic pressure means PE classes are sometimes cut, and there’s a shortage of well-trained, dedicated PE teachers."

Despite these challenges, some schools are finding innovative ways to keep students active.

At the Tô Vĩnh Diện Primary School in Hà Nội, Principal Hà Ngọc Lan introduced an SNAG Golf course under the R&A–VGA junior golf development project for the 2024–25 school year.

The novelty of golf has sparked curiosity and excitement among pupils, who learn theory in class before heading outside for hands-on practice with coaches.

Students from Tô Vĩnh Diện Primary School are introduced to golf through the R&A–VGA project. Photo courtesy of Vietnam Golf Association

At the Lương Thế Vinh Secondary & High School in Hà Nội, annual charity runs and sports tournaments blend physical training with community spirit.

For each kilometre run, participants contribute VNĐ30,000 (US$1.1) to the 'Sharing Tết' fund, which helps disadvantaged families celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Principal Nguyễn Quốc Bình said these activities "not only improve physical health but also lift spirits, increase positive energy and teach discipline, perseverance and teamwork."

Students from Lương Thế Vinh Secondary & High School take part in a charity run to support disadvantaged families. Photo nhandan.vn

In HCM City, the Tây Thạnh High School runs weekly clubs for basketball, volleyball, football, badminton and swimming, alongside regular mini-tournaments that draw enthusiastic crowds of student supporters.

Lessons from abroad

International examples underscore the benefits of sustained investment in school sports.

China has elevated school sports to a national strategy, integrating professional coaches into schools, improving rural facilities and even introducing mass morning exercise routines set to pop music.

Japan, meanwhile, embeds 90 hours of PE annually into its national curriculum, hosts large-scale sports days that involve families and encourages nearly universal participation in Bukatsu – extracurricular clubs that nurture discipline, community spirit and personal skills.

Both countries approach school sport differently – China through rapid reform, Japan through long-term systems – but share the goal of using sports to develop physical health, willpower and social cohesion.

Vietnamese education leaders agree that improving school sport activities requires coordination between the sport, health and education sectors.

Lê Thị Hoàng Yến, deputy director of Sports Authority of Vietnam, outlined four priorities: integrating sports seriously into PE curricula; investing in facilities, especially in rural areas; building a strong PE teaching workforce; and providing pathways for talented student-athletes to develop in both academics and sports.

Health experts emphasise that nutrition is equally vital. Nguyễn Trọng Hưng, director of the Adult Nutrition Department at the National Institute of Nutrition, said improvements in Vietnamese height reflected systemic health policies, notably the National Nutrition Strategy 2021–2030.

This aims to ensure 65 per cent of children aged 6–23 months receive proper nutrition by 2025, rising to 80 per cent by 2030, with height targets of 1.72m for men and 1.59m for women.

The Ministry of Education and Training has already launched long-term initiatives such as the "Comprehensive Plan for Physical Development and Stature of the Vietnamese People 2011–30" and the "School Health Programme 2021–25".

Education expert Vũ Thu Hương, a former lecturer at Hà Nội's National University of Education, said that PE must be taught "in a meaningful way" rather than as a mere formality.

"If PE continues as it is now, it could negatively affect other aspects of young people’s development," she said, urging schools to assess physical fitness alongside academic performance.

Officials stress that sustainable change will require joint effort, from families, schools, local authorities and national policymakers. While students need not become professional athletes, they must be given the opportunity to build healthy bodies, active lifestyles and the resilience to thrive.

Nguyễn Nho Huy, deputy director of the Department of Student Affairs under the Ministry of Education and Training, proposed that the National Assembly incorporate school nutrition regulations into the upcoming Law on Disease Prevention and consider drafting a dedicated Law on Nutrition or School Nutrition.

Nguyễn Hồng Trường, deputy director of the National Institute of Nutrition under the Ministry of Health, said the ministry was drafting the Law on Disease Prevention, which would include chapters on nutrition by age group, with school nutrition as a priority.

The draft outline has already been approved by the National Assembly Standing Committee and is expected to be submitted at the legislature’s 10th session in 2025.

"When the bill is released for public consultation, the Ministry of Health looks forward to receiving continued attention and feedback to refine it," Trường said, calling the legislation "an important solution for the future of the younger generation". VNS