Vietnamese people are bringing illness upon themselves.

TPO - Unhealthy eating habits and a lack of exercise among young people are creating a silent but dangerous wave of non-communicable diseases. Experts warn that most people only start paying attention to nutrition when their bodies have already shown signs of illness.

On the morning of May 24th, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Health and Life newspaper, organized the "6th Vietnam Community Nutrition Day," attracting more than 3,000 participants.

Professor, Doctor Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health, delivered a speech at the event.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan warned that fast food, sugary drinks, alcohol, tobacco, and a sedentary lifestyle are silently destroying public health. According to the Ministry of Health leader, many dangerous diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and stroke do not appear in a single day but accumulate from long-term eating and exercise habits over many years.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that Vietnam is among the countries with a high rate of sedentary youth, with 91% of girls and 82% of boys not meeting the minimum daily exercise requirement.

Amidst the increasingly convenient pace of modern life, many experts believe that the community is at risk of sacrificing health for short-term comfort. The reality today shows that illness doesn't begin in hospitals, but rather with unbalanced meals, hours spent in front of screens, and daily neglect of one's own body.

The Community Nutrition Program has attracted approximately 3,000 participants in Ho Chi Minh City.

While waiting for his consultation at the clinic, Mr. Nguyen Trong Tinh (76 years old, residing in Ho Chi Minh City) continuously rubbed his aching neck and shoulders. He stated that he suffers from several underlying conditions such as osteoarthritis, acid reflux, and chronic conjunctivitis. What worried the doctor was his prolonged use of painkillers containing corticosteroids simply because "they provided immediate pain relief."

Besides worrying about his own health, Mr. Tinh is also concerned about the increasingly passive lifestyles of his children and grandchildren. “Exercise is becoming rare among young people these days. While we elderly folks still maintain the habit of walking after dinner, most of our children and grandchildren just sit watching movies, playing games, or using their phones for hours on end. I have an 11-year-old grandson who weighs over 40 kg already. He eats only fried food, sausages, and processed foods,” he recounted.

Another case is Ms. Le Thi Thuy Ai (35 years old, residing in Di An ward, Ho Chi Minh City), who was diagnosed by doctors as overweight and obese, with a height of 1.56m but weighing 65 kg. Ms. Ai admitted to frequently snacking, enjoying bubble tea, eating processed foods, and rarely eating green vegetables due to her busy work schedule.

Dr. Doan Thi Anh Tuyet examined and provided health advice to people participating in the event.

After the examination, doctors advised her to proactively lose weight, change her diet, limit fatty foods, and increase physical activity if she wanted to avoid the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or metabolic disorders in the future. According to experts, many young people today are caught in a vicious cycle of "sitting too much - eating too quickly - sleeping late - little exercise," causing diseases that used to appear in middle age to become increasingly prevalent at younger ages.

Speaking with reporters, Dr. Doan Thi Anh Tuyet, Deputy Head of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, said that the worrying thing now is that most people only seek nutritional advice when they are already sick.

"Nutrition is essential to life, encompassing our daily eating habits, yet many people view nutrition as a quick fix, seeking immediate results. In reality, it's a long journey requiring sustainable lifestyle changes."

Dr. Tuyet emphasized that the most important thing for everyone is to eat properly, sufficiently, and diversely to prevent disease. There are many dishes on the table, but each person must know how to choose what suits their health. Trying to eat excessively to be healthy or resorting to extreme diets and products advertised widely on social media for rapid weight loss are the quickest ways to bring illness upon oneself.

A diet tailored to each individual's age and physical condition, combined with scientific exercise and avoiding alcohol and stimulants, is the solution recommended by experts to help the community achieve optimal health and avoid the risk of disease.

Nearly 5,500 people participated in the charity run to raise funds for children with craniofacial deformities.

In line with activities to raise awareness and promote community health, on May 24th, the "Smile Run - A Run of Love 2026" charity run, organized by the Central Dental Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City at the Creative Park in An Khanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, attracted nearly 5,500 domestic and international participants. The event was part of a series of activities celebrating the hospital's 46th anniversary, with distances ranging from 1.5km to 30km.

The "Run of Love" initiative has helped alleviate the difficulties faced by unfortunate children with cleft lip and palate.

Each athlete participating in the race voluntarily contributed 50,000 VND to the fund supporting treatment for children with cleft lip and palate deformities. To date, the organizers have received approximately 250 million VND to support surgery and rehabilitation for disadvantaged children. The organizers believe the race not only spreads the spirit of community sports but also conveys a message of compassion, sharing, and social responsibility.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/nguoi-viet-dang-tu-ruoc-benh-vao-than-post1845862.tpo