Nutrition in school meals should receive special attention, experts said (Photo: VNA).Hanoi (VNA) – ordered competent
authorities to outline specific measures to mobilise resources to carry out the
national nutrition strategy during 2021-2030 with a view to improve the
Vietnamese people’s well-being and stature.
At a working session in early December, he asked the Ministry of Health to ramp up
implementation of the , which sets three goals of
promoting a healthy diet and lifestyle with appropriate nutrition and increased
physical activity to improve Vietnamese people’s stature and health, raising
public awareness of behavioural change to protect health and prevent health-related
risks, and providing constant and long-term primary healthcare services to
reduce the burden of illness on the community and enhance quality of life.
Dam requested international organisations in Vietnam such as the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), World Health
Organisation (WHO), and World Bank to continue coordinating with the health
ministry, sectors and localities to comprehensively promote nutrition for the
Vietnamese people, contributing to realising the UN’s Sustainable Development
Goals.
According to the health ministry’s report,
implementation of the during 2011-2020 attained remarkable
marked outcomes. The rate of malnutrition among Vietnamese children decreased
significantly over the last decade, from 46.9 percent in 1994 to 29.3 percent
in 2010 and under 20 percent in 2020. Meanwhile, the average height of male
adolescent is around 1.68 metres, higher than the target of 1.67 metres set in
the national strategy.
Saying the achievements in nutrition improvement have
contributed to ensure social security, Dam took the occasion to thank
international organisations and foreign countries like Japan, Canada and
Ireland for supporting Vietnam to better nutrition for its people.
However, he voiced his concern over the in mountainous
and remote areas and those prone to natural disasters, food safety issue, the rising number of children with obesity in urban areas, and increasing health problems related to nutrition such as cardiovascular diseases.
At the event, experts said that the national nutrition strategy for the
2021-2030 period should integrate nutrition improvement with settlement of
several issues, including safe water, environment, and air quality.
Nutrition in school meals should be paid special attention, they said, adding
it is necessary to raise awareness of parents, teachers and students of the
school milk programme, particularly in rural and mountainous localities./.
Source: VietnamPlus
