Survey of food consumption and nutrition in Vietnam
Ha Noi, Jan. 31 (VNA) -- The National Nutrition Institute is preparing a country-wide survey of food consumption and nutritional values in order to meet the nutrition standards set by Viet Nam's strategy for healthcare and protection until 2020.
The institute also plans to continue researching classic malnutrition-related diseases such as protein, iodine and Vitamin A deficiency and iron-deficiency anaemia.
In the immediate future, it will study diseases caused by deficient micro-nutrition such as deficiency in tin, selenium and calcium and the association between food and several chronic diseases such as hypertension, arterio sclerosis, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and food poisoning.
The institute is assessing nutrition by comparing the eating habits of different communities; researching a reasonable number of sufferers from chronic diseases related to food and assessing the nutritional content of Viet Nam's foods.
It has sponsored much scientific epidemiological research as well as research into diseases of mothers and children; the VAC - garden-fishpond-pigsty ecological system; the raising of food quality and a general survey of food consumption and nutrition standards since 1981.
Viet Nam has implemented national programmes based on these results to prevent and eradicate hunger; prevent malnutrition and Vitamin A deficiency thus helping prevent blindness among children while reducing child malnutrition by two percent a year.
The programmes have also helped reduce the rate of disease among children; the child mortality rate and rate of iron-deficiency anaemia among women and children under three.
The healthcare and protection strategy until 2020 will have Viet Nam working to raise average life expectancy to 75; reduce the mortality rate among infants to 15-18 per thousand and for children under five to 20 per thousand; the malnutrition rate to 15 percent; eradicate disorders caused by iodine deficiency by 2005, and decrease the incidence of goitre among 8-12 year olds to less than five percent.--VNA
