Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) According to the National Nutrition Census 2019-2020 of the National Instituteof Nutrition, the rate of overweight and obese children increased 2.2 times,from 8.5% in 2010 to 19.0% in 2020.
According to the Ministry of Health, in 2020, the rate of overweight andobesity in urban areas reached 26.8%, in rural areas 18.3% and mountainousareas 6.9%.
The National Institute of Nutrition also announced the obesity rate amongchildren in inner districts in Ho Chi Minh City surpassed 50%. In comparison,the rate in Hanoi surpassed 41%.
Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of obesity promulgated underDecision No. 2892/QD-BYT dated October 22, 2022, are applied at medicalexamination and treatment facilities across the country.
Prof. Dr Tran Huu Dang, President of the Vietnam Association of Endocrinology -Diabetes, said that the guidance marked a milestone that could help millions ofVietnamese people prevent obesity and its complications such as diabetes,hypertension, stroke, kidney failure, heart attack, or sleep apnea.
Dang said that obesity adversely affects all health problems, reduces lifeexpectancy, causes many chronic diseases and reduces the quality of life.
Measures to prevent and treat overweight and obesity and maintain long-termweight control can improve health status and reduce complications forpatients," he said.
"However, obesity has not been paid enough attention. Obese people usuallystruggle to lose weight, and many of them believe in and use remedies that areadvertised online without health workers' consultation," he said.
"According to the World Health Organisation and the American MedicalAssociation, obesity is a chronic disease requiring long-term management andtreatment because obesity causes a lot of dangerous complications, affectingpeople's health," Dang said.
According to Doctor Nghiem Nguyet Thu, head of the Department of ClinicalNutrition and Dietetics, National Institute of Nutrition, the way in whichobese people try to lose weight is the issue.
Thu said that many people aim to lose four or five kg a month, which is notsustainable.
"The goal of losing weight is not to pressure obese people to fast orexercise until fainting. However, a weight loss goal set between 5-15% over sixmonths is realistic and has proven health benefits," Thu said.
"Lifestyle interventions are the foundation for maintaining safe andsustainable weight loss, including nutritional interventions, physicalexercise, behaviour change, and psychological support," she said.
Drug treatment is only applied after three-month lifestyle interventions do nothelp lose 5% of weight or for patients with a BMI of more than 25 kg/m2.
The surgical weight loss method is only suggested for cases with a BMI of 35kg/m2 or higher, or those with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 with other obesity-relatedcomorbidities.
"The challenge for nutritional treatment is to make patients change theirbehaviour. No amount of exercise is effective if people keep eating toomuch," said Thu.
Experts recommend eating more boiled green vegetables and fewer sweet fruits.In addition, people should exercise for 30-60 minutes a day.
Dr Phan Bich Nga from the National Institute of Nutrition said a high-sugardiet with too much sugar and unhealthy fats often found in cakes, soft drinks,sauces, junk food, and fast food, plus not getting enough rest and inactivityare the leading causes of excess energy and metabolic disorders.
However, she noted that these concerns should not matter until children are atleast three years old, as their bodies naturally carry more fat./.
VNA
