Enhance micronutrients to help children develop comprehensively

Micronutrients are essential for growth, intellectual development, height improvement, resistance, health and quality of life. Therefore, solutions are needed to improve the current micronutrient deficiency.

According to the report of the National Institute of Nutrition ( Ministry of Health ), Vietnam is currently facing three nutritional burdens, which are malnutrition coexisting with micronutrient deficiencies and overweight and obesity. Accompanied by the increasing trend of non-communicable diseases.

The main cause of this situation is due to people's unreasonable diet (consuming a lot of meat, eating few vegetables and fruits...) and lack of physical activity.

The rate of stunting (height-for-age) in children under 5 years old remains high, according to the 2020 National Nutrition Survey, at 19.6%, and there is a difference between regions, especially in mountainous areas compared to urban and rural areas.

Meanwhile, the rate of overweight and obesity in school-age children (5 to 19 years old) increased from 8.5% (in 2010) to 19.0% (in 2020).

Micronutrient deficiencies in women and children remain at a level of public health significance. Currently, the rate of anemia in children under 5 years of age is 19.6%; pregnant women are 25.6%; the rate of children under 5 years of age with preclinical vitamin A deficiency is 9.5% and 58% of children under 5 years of age are still zinc deficient.

Associate Professor, Dr. Truong Tuyet Mai, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, emphasized that micronutrients play a very important role. During the period when children are under 5 years old, micronutrients contribute to the comprehensive development of children as well as their stature and intelligence. Therefore, the prevention of micronutrient deficiency needs to be carried out in a sustainable manner. For each person, micronutrient supplementation needs to be carried out throughout their life cycle.

Dr. Tran Khanh Van, Head of the Micronutrient Department (National Institute of Nutrition), stated that stunting and micronutrient deficiency are the main causes of short stature in Vietnamese youth. In addition, micronutrient deficiency also negatively affects health, physical development, stature, and intelligence, hindering the growth and comprehensive development of children, fertility, and labor productivity in adulthood.

Medical staff instruct mothers on how to prepare nutritious meals for young children. (Photo: VAN TIEN)

Implementing nutritional care throughout the life cycle from infants and young children, school-age children, adolescents, adults and the elderly is especially important in preventing malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and improving the stature of Vietnamese people.

Recognizing that Vitamin A supplementation is essential for children's health and comprehensive development, for many years now, the National Institute of Nutrition has been the focal point through two campaigns to supplement Vitamin A for children of all ages nationwide in June and December every year.

The rate of children receiving regular vitamin A supplementation is maintained at over 98% (equivalent to more than 6 million children aged 6 months to 59 months). High-dose vitamin A supplementation for children has become an annual activity in more than 11,000 communes and wards nationwide. The second phase of the 2023 vitamin A supplementation campaign will be implemented on December 1 and 2. Currently, the preparation work has been basically completed.

To prevent micronutrient deficiencies, nutrition experts recommend that everyone and every family should: diversify daily meals, combine many types of foods; choose and use foods fortified with micronutrients.

Use locally available micronutrient-rich foods for children's daily supplementary meals; add fat or cooking oil to increase vitamin A and vitamin D absorption; give children of child-bearing age vitamin A twice a year, and children from 24 to 59 months old need to take deworming medicine twice a year. Practice food hygiene, personal hygiene, and environmental hygiene to prevent worm and parasite infections.

For women of childbearing age, pregnant women need to take iron/folic acid tablets or multivitamin tablets.

Minh Hoang

Source: https://nhandan.vn/tang-cuong-vi-chat-dinh-duong-de-giup-tre-phat-trien-toan-dien-post784898.html