A survey conducted by the HCM City Department of Education and Training at nearly 2,000 local schools during the 2022-2023 School Year showed that 32 percent of pupils faced obesity, 28.80 percent had refractive errors, 23.20 percent had tooth decay and 4 percent faced malnutrition.
The survey also showed that obese male students outnumbered female students. The rate was also higher among children living in the city centre than those in the suburbs.
At a seminar held in September this year, vice-head of the National Institute of Nutrition, Truong Tuyet Mai, also shared that over 40 percent of children of school age in HCM City are now overweight, double the country average.
Principal of the Phuoc Long B Kindergarten in Thu Duc City, Dinh Thi Xuan Chau said that 16 children in her school were overweight and four malnourished following their recent health check-ups.
"We've consulted with nutrition experts to have a suitable diet for these children," Chau said. "We’re responsible for 70 percent of the children's daily food intake with their families being responsible for the remaining 30 percent."
Director of the HCM City Department of Education and Training, Nguyen Van Hieu, urged that local schools should include more physical exercise for students and help each of them play at least one sport.
"The rising obesity rate has been highlighted in recent years but the problem is becoming more serious," he said. "Besides assigning better medical staff at local schools, we should increase the amount of physical activity students do."
A HCM City survey last year into obesity revealed 43.70 percent of local students were overweight, double the rate of a decade ago.
