Learning about Increasing Height from Japanese People

It is no coincidence that the stature and height of the Japanese have improved so quickly in the past 50 years. The focus on nutrition legislation and policy has paid off.

Madam Thai Huong, Founder and President of the Strategy Council of TH Group, addresses the conference

Lessons on stature improvement and the reality of Vietnam

Experience and facts in many countries that have successfully implemented nutrition programs show that, to improve and enhance the stature and physical strength of the people, dietary quality, menu and nutrition regulations on food safety must be standardized.

President of the Japan Dietetic Association, Professor Nakamura Teiji, who came to Vietnam to attend the Workshop on Vietnamese Nutrition in 2018, said that Japan has "legalized nutrition since 1954, specifically school nutrition - with a nutritional intake standard and a food safety management standard of school diets.

Nutrition legalization has helped the Japanese improve and develop their build and physical strength in a spectacular fashion.

Specifically, in the 1950s, the average height of Japanese men and women was 1.5m and 1.49m, respectively, 4cm shorter than Vietnamese at that time. However, more than 50 years later, by 2021, the average height of Japanese men and women is 1.72m and 1.58m, respectively, among the highest in Asia.

Obviously, it is no coincidence that the physique and height of the Japanese can improve so quickly in such a short time. The focus on nutrition legislation and policy has paid off.

In Vietnam, the government has made taking care of children’s health and improving the stature and physical strength of the Vietnamese people one of its top priorities. Nutritional care plays an important role in achieving these goals. However, the government has not achieved its expected outcomes.

At the International Conference on Nutritional Formula Products from Fresh Milk - Golden Nutrition for Children's Optimal Development in Hanoi on June 8, Dr. Nguyen Song Tu from the National Institute of Nutrition said: The 2019-2020 National Nutrition Census conducted by the National Institute of Nutrition showed that although the height of Vietnamese youth has increased - the current average height of men and women is respectively 168.1 cm and 156.2 cm, it is still lower than many countries in the region and lower than the benchmark of the World Health Organization (WHO). The study also showed that Vietnamese are facing obesity, malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in children.

Specifically, 19.6% of children aged under 50 years were malnourished and stunted in 2020, with a rate of 38% recorded in mountainous areas, a very high level by the WHO health benchmark. Childhood obesity is on the rise. The prevalence of obesity in children aged 5-19 years was 19% in 2020, more than 2.2 times higher than the rate of 8.5% in 2010. The rates in urban areas, rural areas and mountainous areas were 26.8%, 18.3%, and 6.9%, respectively.

Micronutrient deficiency is a matter of concern, especially vitamin A, iron and zinc deficiencies. In 2020, the prevalence of anemia in children under 5 years old in Vietnam was 19.6% while the target was 15%. The prevalence of zinc deficiency was particularly as high as 58%, which was severe according to public health significance by WHO standards. This rate was even higher in northern mountainous areas and the Central Highlands, up to 67%. Although it was lower (49%) in urban areas, it was still severe and barely improved in the five years from 2015 to 2020. A study by the Southeast Asian Nutrition Organization showed that Vietnamese children's daily meals lack up to 50% of micronutrient requirements.

Legislation needed for better nutritional care

Among their given solutions, scientists have repeatedly emphasized the need for enacting a law on nutrition issues, including school nutrition.

“I support this proposal because proper nutrition is extremely important not only for the people but also for the future and the race. To take good care of nutrition, it is necessary to have an appropriate legal framework,” said Ms. Mai Hoa, Vice Chairwoman of National Assembly (NA) Committee for Culture and Education, on the sidelines of the International Conference on Nutritional Formula Products from Fresh Milk - Golden Nutrition for Children's Optimal Development in Hanoi on June 8.

She said, regulations on nutrition are provided in various decrees and circulars. Now, if they are integrated together into a legal document, the implementation process will be more convenient, helping achieve the best results of nutritional care for people and attract businesses to invest in this field.

"I hope that, from the ideas and suggestions offered by scientists, relevant agencies will study and propose adding this content into the lawmaking program as soon as possible," she added.

It is scientifically proven that children grow to 86% of their height at the age of 0-12 years - also known as the "golden age".

“Nutrition is very important for young children, especially in the first years of life,” said Dr. Clair - Yves Boquien, Research Center for Human Nutrition of France (CRNH), at the international conference.

He said that studies have proven that the right nutrition for young children in the golden age from 0-12 years old will help reduce the mortality rate and disease exposure during their childhood and foster the continuous physical and mental growth of children.

“It is clear that positive nutrition for young children brings long-term benefits to individuals, families and countries,” he added.

“If we fail at this stage, we will affect the whole life of children. Accordingly, every link in a person's life must be noticed, especially in the first years of life," said Madam Thai Huong, Founder and President of the Strategy Council of TH Group, at the conference.

For many years, as a leader of the food industry, a patriotic business and entrepreneur with the desire to enhance the stature of Vietnamese, Madam Huong and her TH Group (owner of TH true MILK brand) have persistently and relentlessly pursued the cause for the stature of Vietnamese through practical activities on nutrition and health for Vietnamese people.

Sharing her views and leading thoughts, she said: “A country is only strong when its people are fully developed both physically and mentally. The prerequisite for this development is not only a source of essential nutrients such as rice and food, but also requires a sustainable health care regime."

She hoped that nutrition regulations, which are still unclear and scattered in different regulatory documents, will soon be standardized and legalized.

Source: Vietnam Business Forum