Hanoi authorities will run a program to help local students fight obesity by 2025, a meeting heard on April 8.

A primary school conducts a health test. Photo: HaNoiMoi newspaper

A study conducted by the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (Hanoi CDC) on 90 primary, secondary, and high schools in the city in 2019-2021 found that nearly 38% of primary school students were obese, which is the highest proportion among the three levels of education.

The report also found that about 17% of secondary school students and more than 11% of high school students were overweight in their normal measurements.

It is noteworthy that the percentage of obese students has been increasing from year to year, especially in the urban areas. Hanoi CDC reported that 55.7% of students in urban districts are overweight.

According to the agency’s Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Kieu Anh, overweight is caused by the It is noteworthy that the percentage of obese students has been increasing from year to year, especially in urban areas. Hanoi CDC reported that 55.7% of students in urban districts are overweight.

"The best time to intervene and prevent obesity is when children are in primary school enjoying the golden period of growth," Anh said.

Vu Cao Cuong, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Health Department, said the two departments have worked together and launched programs to improve healthcare for local students.

"The departments of Health, and Education and Training will launch a special program to prevent overweight and obesity in Hanoi's primary schools," he said.

"We want to raise awareness and develop the right behavior among students, parents, and schools in order to prevent overweight and related diseases when the students grow up."

According to local authorities, the program will be conducted in several primary schools, including La Thanh, Nguyen Du, and Le Loi.

The program will focus on five tasks, getting local authorities involved in ensuring that students enjoy a proper learning environment and eating habits.

They will also launch practical activities to educate students about obesity prevention, training parents, school administrators and teachers, cooks, and health officials to meet specific standards.

In addition, students will enjoy a better nutritional plan and participate in physical training exercises to improve their condition.