The Ho Chi Minh City Nutrition Centre on October 25 held a seminarto discuss how to control obesity and non-communicable diseases inthe community.

The event aimed to raise public awareness ofgood nutrition and food safety in order to improve health and controlthe diseases.

According to the centre, the number ofmalnourished people from all walks of life in the city has continued tofall in recent time. It now has the lowest rate in the country.

However, the ratio of overweight and obese people in the 2000-2010period increased strongly, especially in large cities. For primaryschool pupils, the ratio was 38.5 percent, while that in women ofreproductive age was 35.7 percent and in children under-five, 11percent.

The habit of eating too much and lack of exercise are the primary causes.

Nguyen Huu Hung, Deputy Director of the municipal Health Department,said in order to realise the goals of the National Nutrition Strategyfor the 2011-2020 period, the health sector and related agencies shouldwork together to popularise knowledge on choosing hygienic andnutritional food, and ensuring hygiene in food preparation.

Itis also necessary to call on people to take physical exercise to preventchronic diseases while expanding nutrition programmes, includingpreventing iodine, iron and vitamin A deficiencies among families, Hungsaid.

On the occasion of the Nutrition and Development Week(October 16-23), the centre will launch a campaign to raise awareness onthe issue in industrial parks on October 26.-VNA