Around 43 percent of students in Ho Chi Minh City are overweight or obese, which points to a growing public health challenge in Vietnam, according to the Danish Embassy in Vietnam.
Denmark’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Nicolai Prytz met this week with Ho Chi Minh City Vice Chairwoman Tran Thi Dieu Thuy to discuss the launch of the “Cities for Better Health” initiative in the southern metropolis.
Novo Nordisk to help tackle childhood obesity
The programme is led by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and focuses on tackling non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension.
In Vietnam, efforts will centre on childhood obesity, with cooperation between local authorities, health organisations and communities.
Rising childhood obesity in urban Vietnam
The increase in childhood obesity is not limited to Vietnam.
According to UNICEF, the number of overweight children in East Asia and the Pacific has more than doubled over the past two decades, with more than 113 million affected.
The report points to changing diets, increased consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks, and aggressive marketing targeting children as key drivers.
In Vietnam, the share of overweight children aged 5–19 rose from 8.5 percent in 2010 to 19 percent in 2020.
Vietnamese authorities have also begun responding to the trend. Among other measures, the country has approved taxes on sugary drinks, which are set to reach 10 percent by 2028.
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