Experts have cited reports showing that the average life expectancy of Vietnamese rose from 62 years in 1990 to 74.7 years in 2024. Vietnam’s Human Development Index (HDI) reached 0.76, a high level compared to countries at similar development levels, while its happiness index ranks 46th out of 143 countries.

However, Nguyen Trong Nghia, Head of the Central Propaganda and Education Commission, acknowledged the need for greater efforts to improve human resource quality and public healthcare.

Currently, the average height of Vietnamese male youth is 168.1 cm and female youth 156.2 cm, which shows a significant improvement, but still shorter than regional and developed countries. Vietnam ranks fourth in Southeast Asia after Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, trailing the global average by 9-10 cm.

Data released in 2024 showed that 10.4 percent of children were underweight. In poor communes, stunting rates among children under 5 exceed 40 percent. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among students aged 5-19 doubled from 8.5 percent in 2010 to 19 percent in 2020, particularly in urban areas, where it reached 26.8 percent.

Duong noted that school meals play a critical role in improving students’ physical health, cognitive development, and academic performance. However, school meals lack food variety and diverse menus. Less than 50 percent of preschools and about 30 percent of primary schools provide meals.

Meanwhile, most school canteens and nearby vendors sell fast food, sugary drinks, and processed industrial foods, some of unclear origin, posing food safety risks.

School nutrition policies

Nghia urged ministries, sectors, and agencies to complete a cohesive legal framework to protect public health. He emphasized that people are “the most precious asset, requiring robust legal mechanisms to ensure implementation and safeguarding of public health, especially for the younger generation.

Additionally, efforts should focus on raising awareness, promoting healthy habits, and encouraging proactive health practices; mobilizing all resources, particularly from the private sector, to effectively implement programs to enhance physical and mental health and stature; and leveraging technology and digital transformation to optimize health and nutrition management.

Experts at the workshop stressed the need to set up school nutrition policies to uniformly implement programs like the national school meal program, nutrition education, and school obesity control.

Le Thai Ha, Deputy Director of the Disease Prevention Department stated that the draft Law on Disease Prevention includes a dedicated chapter on nutrition. It specifies that students at all levels will receive nutrition education and promotion, ensuring age-appropriate diets and periodic nutritional assessments.

Vo Thu