Hanoi (VNA) - In 2017, more than two millionchildren in Vietnam were stunted and 1.2 million were underweight, according toa report by National Institute of Nutrition. In particular, the report said onein every six children under five years old was below normal height.

One in every four children under five yearsold was also said to be underweight.

Even more startling is the fact that about5,000 children are said to die each year in Vietnam from ailments related tomalnutrition.

Meanwhile, the General Medical Associationof Vietnam revealed at a scientific conference on stature last September thatVietnamese have a low average height compared to the rest of the world.

The average height of Vietnamese men andwomen – 164.4 cm and 153.6 cm - is ranked 19th and 13th respectively among theshortest nations in the world.

Dr. Truong Hong Son, deputy secretary ofthe Vietnam Medical Association and director of the Vietnam Institute ofApplied Medical Sciences, said that in the past 34 years, the average height ofVietnamese men had increased by 4.4 cm - from 1.6 metres to 1.64 metres - whilethat of women increased 3.4cm - from 1.5 metres to 1.53 metres - which heclaimed was low.

Son said that a child who was stunted atthe age of three would not reach average height by the time he or she was 18.

He quoted statistics that suggest heightand physical fitness are said to be dependent on genetic factors (23 percent),living conditions (25 percent), physical activity (32 percent) - and nutrition.

However, Dr Son claimed that Vietnamesechildren were not fed properly. Despite the fact that child diets had improved,they had not yet met recommendations by the World Health Organisation norprovided the balance and diversity needed for proper growth. He said manychildren lacked important nutrients, including Vitamin A, calcium, zinc andiron.

“Not only stunted children, but also obeseones lack micro vitamins,” he said.

Early this week, Ha Noi Moi (New Hanoi)newspaper reported that a mother in Hanoi’s Long Bien district had a five-yearold son weighing only 13.5 kg.

The 32-year-old mother said that she spentmost of the day feeding her son. A cup of nutrient-rich milk, an egg and apiece of cheese for his breakfast, a bowl of sea food soup for brunch at 9 amand lot of meat or fish for lunch and dinner.

She said that she was so sad and worriedbecause the son was “smaller and shorter” than other children of the same age.

Many other mothers still believe that dietswith lot of protein can boost a child’s growth.

Vice director of National Institute ofNutrition Truong Tuyet Mai said that to grow properly, children needed differentnutrients at different stages of their development.

She said that a reasonable meal shouldconsist of carbohydrates (65-70 percent), protein (12-14 percent), fat (18-20 percent)- plus fruit and vegetables to provide vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Former vice director of the institute NguyenThi Lam said that height and physical fitness of children should be a concerneven during pregnancy.

She said children should be breast fed for24 months and provided reasonable quantity of variety of food during weaning.

Milk providing calcium should be taken anhour after a meal in the morning or noon.

In addition to reasonable diets, parentsshould help children get used to physical activities, Lam said.

For example, children from two to fiveshould walk, run and cycle, while those from six to seven should swim, run orplay football. Those over eight years old should ride bikes, play basketball,football or swim.

With proper diets and physical schemes,Vietnamese could grow to an average height of 1.7 metres, she said.-VNA