Trust to the Party: Focus on developing the physical strength and stature of Vietnamese people

Developing the physical strength, stature and health of Vietnamese people is a strategic task, contributing to creating a foundation for sustainable development of the country. In recent years, health care, physical education and sports have achieved many positive results, but there are still many challenges.

THE FOUNDATION FOR A HEALTHY NATION

In recent years, the Party and State have paid special attention to and directed many policies and strategies to improve people's physical strength, stature and health. Notably, the overall project on physical strength and stature development of Vietnamese people in the period 2011 - 2030 (Project 641) with the goal of improving the physical strength of Vietnamese youth; most recently, Resolution 72-NQ/TW dated September 9, 2025 of the Politburo "On a number of breakthrough solutions to strengthen the protection, care and improvement of people's health".

The position of Vietnamese sports is increasingly enhanced in the regional and world arena.

PHOTO: NGOC DUONG

These policies show the importance of nutrition and physical education for the young generation, because a healthy nation must be cared for from the root. Vietnam is highly appreciated internationally in implementing the UN's sustainable development goals on health. Vietnam 's essential health service coverage index is higher than the regional average; many health indicators are superior to countries with the same level of development. In the decade 2010 - 2020, the average height of Vietnamese youth increased significantly: 18-year-old males increased by 3.7 cm, and females increased by 2.6 cm. The rate of stunting in children under 5 years old decreased from more than 30% (in 2010) to 19.6% (in 2020), a rate of improvement faster than the average in Southeast Asia. Average life expectancy increased from 62 years in 1990 to 74.5 years in 2024, human development index (HDI) reached 0.76 points, in the high group among countries at the same level of development.

In addition to achievements in nutrition and health, physical education and sports have achieved many outstanding results. Awareness of the role of physical education and sports in improving people's health has been raised. Thanks to that, leadership, direction and management of physical education and sports activities have been strengthened. Many agencies, units and localities have built a healthy working environment, contributing to the formation of a new cultural life and the prevention of social evils.

The mass sports movement has developed strongly with many diverse forms, attracting a large number of people. Campaigns such as "All people exercise following the example of great Uncle Ho", "Olympic running day for the health of all people", "All people practice swimming, prevent drowning"... have spread widely, contributing to improving community health. Sports activities for the disadvantaged, the disabled, and children in difficult circumstances are focused on. Health clubs, traditional sports, and folk games have developed strongly. In 2023, the rate of people regularly exercising will reach 36.7%, and the number of families regularly exercising will reach 27.7% of the total number of households.

In addition, physical education in schools has had many positive changes. Facilities such as playgrounds and training equipment have been invested in; high-performance sports have developed, contributing to raising Vietnam's position in the region and internationally. Vietnam has successfully hosted many major sporting events such as the SEA Games, while focusing on developing strong sports that are capable of competing regionally and continentally.

Sports facilities from the central to grassroots levels have been invested in and upgraded; socialization has been promoted, and investment efficiency has been increasingly high. International integration in sports has been expanded, contributing to raising the position of Vietnamese sports in the regional and world arenas.

The above results affirm the increasingly high position of the sports industry in social life, resulting from the attention and direction of the Party and State, along with the active participation of socio-political organizations and the entire population in the health training movement.

NEED BREAKTHROUGH SOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW PHASE

Besides the achievements, Vietnam is facing many challenges in terms of physical strength and nutrition. Compared to international standards, the physical strength and stature of Vietnamese people are still modest, lower than many countries in the region. If not overcome soon, this will affect the quality of human resources - a decisive factor in the process of international integration and industrialization and modernization of the country.

The mass sports movement is growing stronger and stronger.

PHOTO: HAI HOA

The rate of stunted children in ethnic minority areas remains above 30%; while in large cities, the rate of overweight and obese students has nearly doubled in the past decade, exceeding 20%. Support policies for students from ethnic minorities and remote areas still have many shortcomings.

In addition, the leadership and direction of some Party committees and local authorities on sports and physical training have not received due attention. Although the mass sports and physical training movement has been focused on, its effectiveness has not been high and has not spread widely, especially in rural areas, mountainous areas, ethnic minority areas, industrial zones and export processing zones. School physical education has been invested in but the results have not met expectations. Socialization of sports and physical training is still weak, investment resources are limited.

From that reality, I propose that the Draft Documents of the 14th Party Congress should specify a number of solutions to improve health care, physical education and sports development, thereby strongly promoting the strategy to improve the physical strength and stature of Vietnamese people.

Firstly , promote propaganda to create strong changes in the awareness and actions of Party committees, authorities, the Fatherland Front, organizations and people about the role of physical training and sports; especially focusing on propaganda in remote and isolated areas. Promote communication to change behavior, raise people's awareness about proper nutrition, physical exercise, and prevention of risk factors such as alcohol, beer, and tobacco; mobilize the participation of organizations and businesses in community nutrition improvement programs. Develop mass physical training and sports movements through campaigns associated with the program of building new rural areas and civilized urban areas; promote ethnic sports and sports in the armed forces.

Second , improve the quality of physical education in schools; continue to effectively implement the overall project for the development of physical education and school sports, strongly develop student sports activities, contributing to the discovery and training of sports talents. Focus on training sports talents, building a quality team of successors; expand the scale and modernize the national sports training center; innovate the organization and management of high-performance sports in a professional direction; prioritize investment and mobilize social resources for key sports.

Third , strengthen the Party's leadership and the effectiveness of state management of physical training and sports; regularly inspect, summarize, and evaluate the results of the resolution's implementation; perfect the mechanism and policies for physical training and sports development; focus on training a team of collaborators and instructors at the grassroots level. Pay attention to investing in facilities, creating conditions for people to practice physical training and sports; allocate appropriate resources for sports activities for people with disabilities and high-performance sports. Upgrade infrastructure and training equipment, focus on building a grassroots training movement, creating a foundation for the development of elite sports.

Fourth , perfect the institution to protect, care for and improve people's health; effectively implement programs to improve physical strength, intelligence, and stature of Vietnamese people, national strategies on nutrition, healthcare and school milk. Strengthen education, raise awareness of the role of nutrition in comprehensive human development; mobilize all resources, especially the private healthcare sector, promote technology application and digital transformation in healthcare management and care.

When every citizen is healthy, active and confident, the country will have more momentum to go further. The new stage requires strong, creative and strategic solutions so that the physical strength, stature and intelligence of Vietnamese people can truly become a breakthrough resource for the future.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/niem-tin-gui-dang-chu-trong-phat-trien-the-luc-tam-voc-con-nguoi-viet-nam-185251112170712551.htm