Vietnam is one in every of the countries with the bottom adult obesity rate on this planet. According to Vietnam’s dietary profile published in Global Nutrition Report In 2023, the prevalence of obesity can be roughly 3.3% amongst adult women and a pair of.2% amongst adult men. These numbers are significantly lower than the regional averages of 10.3% for ladies and seven.5% for men.
These low rates are largely on account of a mixture of a conventional weight loss plan based on fresh ingredients and high levels of every day physical activity. But those self same foundations are step by step eroding, with the fastest decline coming amongst children, especially in big cities, as Vietnam undergoes rapid economic modernization.
The weight loss plan remains to be based on fresh ingredients
The traditional Vietnamese weight loss plan relies on rice, supplemented with a wide range of vegetables, lean protein from fish and poultry, and fermented foods, normally served in relatively modest portions.
Research published in Mother and child nutrition found that dietary habits, including portion control and meal composition, are related to the prevalence of obese in rural areas.
An necessary differentiating factor is the relatively limited market share of ultra-processed foods resembling fast noodles, packaged snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages, which have been linked to the next risk of obesity, diabetes and heart problems.
Consumption of ultra-processed foods is increasing in Vietnam, especially in urban centers. However, in line with an evaluation published by Eurasia Review in 2025, the country’s weight loss plan still relies heavily on fresh food. Traditional outdoor markets still dominate outside large cities, at the same time as supermarkets and convenience stores proceed to expand.
Physical activity, which has long served as a protective factor
Daily physical activity has long been one in every of the essential causes of low obesity levels in Vietnam. The country’s first citizen test on physical activity, which included data from 2009 and published in 2015, found that 72.9% of men and 69.1% of ladies met the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for physical activity of their age groups.
The same pattern continued in subsequent studies. National Noncommunicable Diseases Risk Factor Survey (STEPS), conducted in 2015 and summarized within the 2022 report. reportfound that 84.1 percent of adults aged 18 to 69 achieved high levels of physical activity, defined as at the least 1,500 MET minutes per week.
Most of this activity resulted not from recreational activities but from work, especially farming and manual labor, that are still more common in rural areas. Rural residents were significantly more likely to interact in vigorous physical activity than city residents.
However, because these high levels of activity were closely related to physically demanding occupations and rural lifestyles, the continuing shift towards urban life and more sedentary lifestyles continues to erode this advantage.
The fastest turnaround occurs amongst children
The clearest sign that Vietnam’s advantage is waning might be seen amongst children. According to data from the National Institute of Nutrition summarized within the 2023 report evaluationthe prevalence of obese and obesity amongst children aged 5 to 19 greater than doubled, from 8.5 percent in 2010 to 19 percent in 2020.
The largest cities bear the brunt. The same study conducted in 2020 showed that the prevalence of the disease had reached 26.8% in urban areas in comparison with 18.3% in rural areas. In Ho Chi Minh City, greater than half of urban children and teenagers were obese or obese, while in Hanoi the figure exceeded 41 percent.
The trend in all income groups was also reversed. Previous evidence suggested that children from higher-income households were most liable to obesity. However, evaluation published in 2024 found that children from lower-income households are actually more more likely to be obese.
Economic pressures behind low numbers
This change occurred with Vietnam’s rapid economic growth. According to World Bank data, Vietnam’s economy will grow by 7.1% in 2024, which is one in every of the fastest growth rates within the region. Rising household incomes have modified consumption patterns, resulting in greater consumption of animal products, fats, sugar and convenience foods.
The cost of a healthy weight loss plan in Vietnam was estimated at 3.08 international dollars in 2016–2020. If the associated fee of healthy food continues to rise faster than household incomes, families may increasingly turn to cheaper, higher-calorie foods, which is a typical explanation for many types of malnutrition.
