How Vietnamese people need to improve their fruit and vegetable diet according to WHO recommendations

Recommendations based on scientific evidence

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that each person consumes at least 400 grams of vegetables and fruit per day. This is equivalent to five portions of about 80 grams each, such as half a small bowl of boiled vegetables or a small banana. This level of consumption is considered very important to help maintain good health and prevent non-communicable diseases.

Dr. Angela Pratt, Chief Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam, said that WHO's recommendations in Vietnam are based on research and investigations with specific results.

In Vietnam, the 2020 National Nutrition Survey showed encouraging progress over the past decade. The average daily consumption of people increased from 190 grams of vegetables and 60.9 grams of fruit/person/day in 2010 to 230 grams of vegetables and 127 grams of fruit/person/day in 2020. This total consumption of 357 grams/person/day is about 90% of the WHO recommended daily intake.

The STEPS (National Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Survey) 2020 survey showed similar results, with average fruit and vegetable consumption of 4.7 servings per day, equivalent to more than 90% of the recommended intake of 5 servings (80 grams each, 400 grams in total) per day.

However, a quarter of survey participants consumed only one to two servings per day, and nearly a third ate only three to four servings, suggesting that a large segment of the population at the time was not consuming the recommended amount.

Dr. Angela Pratt, World Health Organization Representative in Vietnam.

In Vietnam, vegetables and fruits are consumed daily and are considered a familiar part of traditional meals. As a tropical country, Vietnam has abundant, readily available and affordable sources of vegetables and fruits, so many people often think that their consumption is sufficient. However, as in many other countries, not everyone is aware of the WHO recommendation - at least 400 grams of vegetables and fruits per day.

"National surveys, such as the STEPS survey (National Survey on Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factors), show that more than half of the population still falls short of the recommended intake, with 57.2% of respondents in 2015 and 59% in 2020 reporting that they eat less than five servings of fruit and vegetables per day. This gap between perception and reality may be the reason why the above information has caused a backlash in public opinion. This is understandable, as vegetables have always been an important part of the Vietnamese diet," said Dr. Angela Pratt.

The WHO Representative in Vietnam also emphasized that this National Nutrition Survey was conducted 5 years ago, and the next survey is expected to be conducted next year. Therefore, people's consumption of vegetables and fruits may have changed in recent years compared to the time of the survey.

Further improvement in fruit and vegetable consumption is needed.

Dr Angela Pratt shares that vegetables and fruits are essential components of a healthy diet, and insufficient consumption will affect health and contribute to an increased risk of non-communicable diseases.

Therefore, it is important for everyone to remember that not only do we need to eat regularly, but we also need to ensure we get the recommended amounts, to help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, some cancers, and help prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Dr Angela Pratt said that to further improve fruit and vegetable consumption, raising public awareness is key. The Ministry of Health has been implementing many important initiatives, such as the Vietnam Health Programme (launched in 2018 with support from WHO) and the National Nutrition Action Plan, to promote healthy diets, including indicators related to adequate daily fruit and vegetable consumption.

National media campaigns play an important role in educating people about the benefits of fruit and vegetables, the risks of low fruit and vegetable consumption, and the 400 gram daily recommendation, as well as encouraging healthier eating habits.

These campaigns have helped raise awareness and contribute to increased consumption over the past few years, but more efforts are needed.

In addition, behavioral change interventions can also help change long-term nutrition patterns – such as integrating nutrition education into school curricula, encouraging healthy food choices at work, and motivating families to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables they eat daily.

Creating an enabling environment where healthy choices are easy and available will help form sustainable habits for both children and adults, thereby improving overall public health.

"Vietnam is making significant progress on many important health indicators. However, the incidence of preventable diseases is still increasing. Maintaining a diet with the recommended daily intake of vegetables and fruits as an important part of a healthy diet, combined with a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise, will help each individual, family and community in Vietnam become healthier and more resilient," said Dr. Angela Pratt.

THIEN LAMB

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nguoi-viet-can-cai-thien-che-do-an-rau-va-qua-the-nao-theo-khuyen-nghi-cua-who-post918866.html