Representatives of HCM City’s departments of Health and Education and Training and Novo Nordisk Vietnam sign a memorandum of understanding for the Cities for Better Health initiative on August 14. — Photo courtesy of the organisers

HCM CITY — HCM City has become the first city in Việt Nam and the 57th globally to join the Cities for Better Health network, a Novo Nordisk-led initiative aimed at strengthening disease prevention, improving health literacy and building healthier communities.

The HCM City Department of Health, the Department of Education and Training and Novo Nordisk Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding for the initiative on August 14.

According to the city’s Department of Health, the prevalence of being overweight and obese in HCM City is higher than the national average, particularly among schoolchildren, with 20.4 per cent classified as overweight and 14.4 per cent as obese. This poses a major public health challenge, requiring coordinated, multi-sectoral and long-term interventions amid easy access to fast food and energy-dense foods, inadequate vegetable consumption and insufficient physical activity.

The city’s participation in the global Cities for Better Health network marks a step forward in implementing its Action Plan through 2030, with a focus on tackling overweight and obesity, particularly among school-age children.

Under the 2026–29 cooperation framework, the programme will focus on four priorities in HCM City: promoting healthier lifestyles and preventing obesity and related diseases; enhancing health literacy in schools and related communities; strengthening primary healthcare for the prevention and early intervention of obesity and related health risks; and using digital tools and innovation to support health education, disease prevention and school health management.

“Addressing childhood obesity requires more than one solution or one institution. It requires cooperation across sectors, bringing together strong local knowledge with international experience, including expertise from Denmark,” said Lina Gandløse Hansen, Ambassador-Designate of Denmark to Vietnam.

Sule Erdim Ersoy, General Manager of Novo Nordisk Vietnam, said effective obesity management requires a comprehensive approach covering prevention, early identification, health literacy and appropriate treatment support.

“Strengthening obesity management in schools is a key part of this effort, helping children build healthier habits from an early age and giving future generations a better opportunity to grow up healthy,” she said.

Founded in 2014, Cities for Better Health is a global network working alongside cities, researchers and community partners to advance opportunities for healthier eating and active living in underserved communities, especially for children. — VNS