Around one third of Vietnamese children are shorter than the average, however the country sees a fall in the rate of stunted children caused by malnutrition.

30% Vietnamese children below average in height 

The information was given at a recent meeting to review a programme on integrating nutrition into food security for children in Vietnam. The USD3.5-million programme also received the support from the United Nations.

The Prime Minister has approved a VND6 trillion (USD285.7) project to improve physical strength and height for Vietnamese people between 2010 and 2030.

The project will target pregnant women, newborn babies and people aged below 18 years old, aiming to raise the average height for Vietnamese men to 168.5 cm and 157.5 cm for women at the age of 18 by 2030.

Vietnamese young people’s average height is 4.7 cm higher than that of 1975, showing a considerable increase.

According to Do Thi Ngoc Diep, Director of the HCM City Nutrition Centre, children’s height growth mostly depends on nutrition, physical training and living environment, while heredity only accounts for 20%

Over the past three years, the programme has helped to boost breastfeeding in six  localities.

Baby-Friendly' Hospitals have seen a sharp rise in the rate of newborn babies given with breast milk early of 97% from 70.5% earlier.

The National Assembly has approved six-month maternal leave from the four-month period earlier in place. This took effect since January 1, 2013. To encourage breastfeeding the Law on Advertising bans the advertisement of products to replace breastfeeding and related products for children below two years old.