Vietnam HCM City Acts against Obesity among Children

Ho Chi Minh City, the most populous city of Vietnam, will take drastic measures to cut the rising rate of chronic diseases and obesity among children, said a health official. Director of the HCM City Nutrition Centre Do Thi Ngoc Diep made the announcement at a meeting yesterday, adding that local authorities will earmark VND8.5 billion ($405,000) for nutrition programs that will focus on the prevention of malnutrition, obesity and iodine and vitamin A deficiencies. Diep attributed inappropriate dietary intake, lack of physical activities and lifestyle habits to the increasing rates of diseases and obesity among the kids. As many as 11.5% of under-five children in the city were obese or overweight in 2010, versus 8.8% in 2009 while the malnutrition rate among children of this group had dropped to the country's lowest, 6.8% last year, she added. More than 70% of local households have been targeted to use iodized salt, and over 90 % of children between six and 36-month-old should be taken vitamin A, she noted.  Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and some certain cancers have also increased rapidly in recent times, Diep elaborated. (Vietnam News Mar 4)