Hanoi takes action to lower childhood obesity rate

The model will be first implemented at La Thanh Elementary School in Dong Da District, Nguyen Du Elementary School in Hoan Kiem District, and Le Loi Elementary School in Ha Dong District until 2025. According to the National Institute of Nutrition, obesity rates in Vietnam have tripled since 1975, making the prevention of overweight and obesity so important. Meanwhile, the rate of obesity among middle school students reached 16.8 percent and that among high school students stood at 11.3 percent. Some elementary schools in the inner-city areas reported a rate of obesity up to 55.7 percent. The obesity intervention and prevention model targeting elementary school students aims to achieve high efficiency, as this stage of children's development is considered crucial for their growth.