Le Thi Hop, head of the National Institute of Nutrition, said this focus was warranted because there has been a marked increase in the incidence of these diseases in recent years.
The latest report by the HCM City Centre for Nutrition shows that obesity among children above five years had last year shown an increase of four times over 1999 figures.
Nearly 30 per cent of women of reproductive age in HCM City were obese in 2009, an increase of 300 per cent over 1999.
Along with the increase in obesity, glucose metabolic disorders like diabetes has also risen, said Dr Le Thi Kim Quy, head of the city's nutrition centre.
According to epidemiological studies conducted by the centre in 2008, around 35 per cent of people were suffering from glucose metabolic disorders, with the prevalence of diabetes increasing from 3.8 per cent in 2001 to 7 per cent in 2008.
The institute's report showed that the number of people nationwide suffering strokes increased three times over the last 10 years and those suffering myocardial infraction (heart attacks) rose six times during the same period.
More than 35 per cent of people nationwide currently have diet-related cancer because of consuming a lot of lipid, protein or chemicals in plant protection.
Quy said that a comprehensive strategy was needed to control the increase of diet-related chronic diseases in Viet Nam.
Hop stressed the need for residents to improve their diet from a nutritional standpoint in order to make effective strides against the spread of diet-related diseases. For this, a human resource base of trained people should be built up to carry out campaigns in hospitals and the community at large, she said. — VNS
No comments:
Post a Comment