Associate Professor, Dr. Le Bach Mai, Deputy Director of the Institute of Nutrition, said that according to the 2014 global nutrition summary, Vietnam is one of 78 countries suffering the most common burden of malnutrition, including stunting in children under 5 years old and anemia in women of childbearing age.

On the afternoon of May 25, at the press conference on Micronutrient Day, Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thi Bach Mai, Deputy Director of the Institute of Nutrition, said that as of 2014, the rate of malnutrition in children under 5 years old with low weight is still at 14.5% and stunting is 24.9%. The current anemia situation is still at a level of public health significance. 28.8% of women of childbearing age, 36.5% of pregnant women, 29.2% of children under 5 years old in our country are anemic, causing negative health consequences for mothers and children.

Similarly, zinc deficiency is also very common. The results of the Nutrition Survey in 6 provinces in Vietnam in 2009 showed that the rate of zinc deficiency in pregnant women was 90%, in children under 5 years old was 81.2% and in women of childbearing age was 65%.

The rate of preclinical vitamin A deficiency in children under 5 years old is 14.2%, the World Health Organization still ranks Vietnam in the list of 19 countries with severe preclinical vitamin A deficiency (over 10% of children <5 years old). The rate of vitamin A in breast milk is low at 35%, proving that the community's diet does not meet the need for vitamin A. The current reduction in vitamin A deficiency depends on the measure of supplementing children with high-dose vitamin A capsules.

Every year, over 5 million children under 5 years old are supplemented with high doses of vitamin A (twice a year). We have eliminated the condition of dry eyes causing blindness in children due to vitamin A deficiency, the rate of children with preclinical vitamin A deficiency has also decreased over the years; propaganda activities to prevent anemia due to iron deficiency, iodine deficiency... have been and are being carried out effectively, contributing to improving malnutrition, reducing the rate of illness and death in children, and receiving high response from the community.

Meanwhile, micronutrients play an essential role in the development and growth of children, along with the function of protecting the body. The daily requirement for micronutrients is only a very small amount, but because the body cannot synthesize it itself, it must be provided entirely from food; Micronutrient deficiency greatly affects the development and ability to prevent diseases of children: Vitamin A deficiency reduces immunity, affects the function of the eyes, if severe deficiency will cause blindness; Iron deficiency causes anemia, affects the weight development of the fetus, reduces the ability to learn in children and the ability to work in adults; Iodine deficiency causes goiter, mental retardation and intellectual disability...

The reason is that the food supply is not enough to meet the needs of each individual in each stage. Therefore, the Institute of Nutrition is proposing that the Government add 4 micronutrients: vitamin A, zinc, iron and iodine to foods that are regularly used in daily life. That is, adding vitamin A to cooking oil, iodine to salt, zinc and iron to soy sauce and fish sauce. Accordingly, imported or domestically produced food products must ensure the requirements for these micronutrients to be circulated on the market.

According to Associate Professor Mai, preventing micronutrient deficiency is a persistent battle to push back the “hidden hunger” and improve the labor capacity, intelligence and healthy life of the Vietnamese people. Preventing micronutrient deficiency is the goal of the National Nutrition Strategy 2011-2020.

On Micronutrient Day (June 1-2) this year, the Institute of Nutrition provided 6,719,000 doses of vitamin A capsules for children aged 6-36 months and mothers within 1 month after giving birth to be supplemented with vitamin A capsules in 63 provinces/cities; children aged 37-60 months were given vitamin A capsules and 1,093,098 doses of deworming medicine for children aged 24-60 months in 22 disadvantaged provinces (where the rate of malnutrition and stunting is high).

To prevent micronutrient deficiencies, the Institute of Nutrition recommends that people improve their diet, encourage the use of foods fortified with micronutrients, exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months, supplement their diet appropriately, and give children of the prescribed age a high dose of vitamin A twice a year according to instructions, and practice hygiene and regular deworming. Pregnant women need to take iron/folic acid tablets as soon as they know they are pregnant. Multi-micronutrient tablets have been and are being used for pregnant women in particularly difficult areas.

This year, high-dose vitamin A supplementation will be applied to children aged 6-36 months; especially disadvantaged provinces will carry out high-dose vitamin A supplementation combined with deworming for children aged 6-60 months. Every family needs to use iodized salt. It is necessary to diversify meals, combine many types of food. Use foods fortified with micronutrients...

Hong Hai - Dantri.com.vn