The rates of overweight, obesity, and excess salt intake in Ho Chi Minh City remain alarmingly high.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, the rate of overweight and obesity in all age groups in the city is still increasing, and people are consuming far more salt than recommended.

The rate of overweight and obese children of all age groups in Ho Chi Minh City is increasing - Photo: TU TRUNG

On February 18th, the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced that in 2024, thanks to the efforts of the entire health sector, the city had achieved its goal of reducing malnutrition among mothers and children.

The rate of underweight malnutrition in children under 5 years old remains low at 4.5%, and the rate of stunting malnutrition is 5.8% (in 2024).

Activities to prevent micronutrient deficiencies in children and pregnant women have been implemented comprehensively and effectively, with no clinical cases of vitamin A deficiency recorded. However, due to urbanization, sedentary lifestyles, and limited awareness of proper nutrition among the population, these efforts are still facing challenges.

Furthermore, dietary imbalances such as low consumption of vegetables and fruits, and habits of eating salty and fatty foods contribute to the increasing rate of overweight and obesity across all age groups, raising the risk of non-communicable diseases.

The report also noted that people in the city consume an average of 8.5g of salt per day, much higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of less than 5g of salt per day.

In 2025, the city will strengthen nutrition education and behavioral change; provide advice on improving family meals and collective meals; and monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition activities…

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity is a cause of many dangerous diseases, including musculoskeletal complications, type 2 diabetes, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and is linked to 13 types of cancer.

Social costs will be higher due to health conditions associated with being overweight.

Numerous studies have shown that a high-salt diet increases blood pressure, leading to cardiovascular diseases, heart failure, kidney failure, and osteoporosis; it also increases the risk of peptic ulcers and gastrointestinal cancers.

Overweight and obesity in Ho Chi Minh City are increasing annually.

According to a report by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the rate of overweight and obesity in children under 5 years old in the city increased from 11.1% (in 2017) to 13.6% (in 2022), while the national average was 11.1% (in 2020).

This rate is particularly high among school-aged children, increasing from 41.4% (in 2014) to 43.4% (in 2020), compared to 26.8% nationwide (in 2020). Notably, this rate is highest among primary school students at 56.9%.

Overweight and obesity among adults aged 18-69 in Ho Chi Minh City also account for a relatively high percentage of 37.1% (in 2020), compared to 20.6% nationwide (aged 19-64, in 2020).

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ti-le-thua-can-beo-phi-thua-muoi-tai-tp-hcm-van-o-muc-bao-dong-20250218144858824.htm