Improper nutrition and unhealthy nutrition are among the main causes of the increase in infectious diseases, changing the pattern of illness and death in Vietnam, with 75% of the mortality rate being due to non-communicable diseases, of which the leading causes are cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, gout, etc.

 Nutrition for non-communicable diseases

According to statistics, chronic non-communicable diseases including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, cancer, etc. are the cause of death of 40 million people in the world each year. In Vietnam, non-communicable diseases are increasing rapidly, and are the group of diseases with the highest mortality rate, accounting for 73% of cases.

Nowadays, the process of industrialization, urbanization, economic development and globalization of markets have had certain impacts on the lifestyle, diet, nutritional status and health of the population, especially in developing countries. Improved living standards, abundant food availability… have increased the consequences related to changes in lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical activity and frequent tobacco use leading to an increase in non-communicable diseases.

There is increasing scientific evidence that a healthy diet has a strong impact on the health of each person throughout their life, even affecting their next generation (nutrition with life cycle). Unscientific eating behavior not only affects current health but can also be the cause of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes later on.

Proper nutrition - prevention of non-communicable diseases

Non-communicable diseases can occur at any age. Both lack and excess of nutrients have negative impacts on the development of these diseases. Therefore, implementing a reasonable diet is essential in preventing non-communicable diseases.

No food is comprehensive and has all the necessary nutrients according to the body's needs. Each type of food contains a certain number of nutrients in different proportions, so daily meals need to be diverse and combine many types of food. The nutrients of these foods will complement each other and the nutritional value of the meal will increase. In the daily diet, there should be a combination of animal and vegetable protein sources (meat, fish, eggs, milk, shrimp, crab, seafood... beans, peas...). In addition, there should be both vegetable oil and animal fat in a balanced ratio in the diet. Increase the intake of sesame, peanuts, beans, green vegetables and ripe fruits. Do not eat fast food, processed food because it contains a lot of salt/sweetness/fat, foods with a high glycemic index. Eat enough for your needs, need to divide meals reasonably during the day (depending on age, health status, level of work); Avoid salty foods and use iodized salt in food preparation; Increase physical activity appropriate to your age; Maintain a healthy weight.

Currently, the recommended reasonable diet to prevent non-communicable diseases is: the diet needs to have enough nutrients compared to the body's needs, eat a variety of foods, and nutrients in a balanced ratio between animal and plant sources.

Food: First of all, we must mention the cereal group, which is the main source of energy for the body to function. Currently, the market often sells rice that looks very white and beautiful due to the careful milling process, which has lost nutrients that are beneficial to health such as B vitamins, especially vitamin B1, fiber, etc. Brown rice is rice that has not been thoroughly milled, still has the bran layer on the outside of the rice grain, contains higher nutritional content and has been proven to be effective in supporting blood sugar control, to help prevent and treat diabetes. In addition, you should also eat different types of cereals (such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, etc.) to diversify your meals and nutrients, increasing health benefits. Energy from cereals should only account for 55-67% (of total dietary energy, the remaining 20-25% is provided by fats and the remaining 13-20% is from protein. Each adult with an average level of physical labor should eat 2 bowls of rice per meal.

Protein: You should eat a combination of foods rich in animal protein from livestock, poultry, seafood and vegetable protein from beans, peas, etc. You should eat foods rich in protein with a balanced ratio of animal and vegetable protein sources, increase your intake of tofu and fish.

Red meats (such as pork, beef, etc.) are rich in iron, which helps prevent iron deficiency anemia, which is especially important for young children, pregnant women, and women of childbearing age. However, eating a lot of red meat increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, gout, etc. due to its high cholesterol and purine content, so you should not eat too much. You should increase your intake of poultry (such as chicken, duck, goose, bird, etc.) and eat at least 3 fish meals per week.

Eat meat in moderation (no more than 100g/day/adult). Average 1.5kg of meat/month. Red meat should not use more than 10% of energy, poultry should be prioritized. Fish consumption is encouraged: at least three fish meals/week, average 2.5kg of fish/month.

Increase the use of soybeans and soybean products such as tofu, soy milk... (a valuable source of protein, fat, many biological active substances that have antioxidant, anti-cancer and cholesterol metabolism regulating roles) and other legumes. Should eat 2-3kg of tofu/month.

Fat: It is necessary to ensure a balanced ratio between animal fat sources (lard, chicken fat, etc.) and vegetable fat (oil, soybean, sesame, peanut, etc.). The daily diet should contain at least 40% vegetable fat, animal fat should not exceed 60%, should eat a combination of animal fat and vegetable oil, should not completely replace animal fat with vegetable fat. Oil and fat for frying should only be used once and then discarded; limit grilled food because it increases the risk of cancer. Processed foods with a lot of fat are also a significant source of energy, if consumed too much can easily cause overweight and obesity, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Each adult should eat about 25-30g of oil and fat per day, equivalent to 5-6 teaspoons of oil and fat.

Ripe fruits and vegetables:   The World Health Organization recommends eating at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day to help prevent chronic diseases related to nutrition such as cardiovascular disease, stomach cancer and colorectal cancer. People who are overweight, obese, have blood glucose disorders, and diabetes should limit sweet and high-energy ripe fruits such as bananas, mangoes, jackfruit, lychees, etc.

Salt and spices should be limited. The habit of eating salty foods increases the risk of certain diseases such as high blood pressure and stomach cancer. You should only eat <5g of salt/day/person (about a teaspoon).

Practicing a healthy lifestyle: Not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, increasing daily physical activity and maintaining a moderate weight are important factors for good health and preventing non-communicable diseases.

MSc. Dr. Nguyen Van Tien - Institute of Nutrition