Search

Objectives: Vietnam's post-war globalization, economic development, and urbanization have contributed to a nutrition transition from traditional diets to highly-processed diets, and increased prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity. Our study aims to explore the attitudes and behaviors driving this epidemic. Methods: This qualitative study focused on the perspectives and practices of Vietnamese parents, schoolteachers and doctors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 12 regarding the historical, social, and cultural influences contributing to childhood overweight and obesity. Audio-recorded interviews were translated and transcribed, then analyzed using modified ground theory to identify themes and representative quotes. Results: Five themes were identified: (1) Change in diet between generations, (2) Preference for rounder children, (3) Unhealthy feeding practices, (4) Reduced physical activity, and (5) Increasing awareness of childhood obesity. A conceptual map detailed the shift from war-time to post-war economic environment and psycho-social context for raising children to be large, safe and academically-successful. Conclusions for Practice: We found that globalization, urbanization and economic development—in the context of historical, social and cultural attitudes—may contribute to increasing child obesity in Vietnam. Obesity prevention through public health and educational institutions should involve policies and programs for healthy eating and exercise, tailored to address parental figures' concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over recent decades, Vietnam has experienced rapid economic growth, a nutrition transition from the traditional diet to highly-processed and calorie-dense foods and beverages, and an increasing prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity (ow/ob). The goal of this study is to describe the patterns of ow/ob in a longitudinal sample of Vietnamese children from ages 1 to 8, and the sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with ow/ob at age 8.Methods: This study is a secondary data analysis of a geographically-representative, longitudinal cohort of 1961 Vietnamese children from the Young Lives Cohort Study from 2002 to 2009. Thirty-one communities were selected with oversampling in rural communities, and children age 1 were recruited from each community using simple random sampling. Surveys of families and measurements of children were collected at child ages 1, 5, and 8. Our specified outcome measure was childhood ow/ob at age 8, defined by the World Health Organization's thresholds for body-mass-index (BMI) for age Z-scores. Associations between early and concurrent socio-behavioral factors, childhood nutrition and physical activity variables were analyzed using STATA 15. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were completed utilizing logistic regression models.Results: The prevalence of ow/ob increased from 1.1% in both sexes at age 1 to 7% in females and 13% in males at age 8. Bivariate analyses show greater likelihood of ow/ob at age 8 was significantly associated with early life sociodemographic factors (at age 1), male sex (OR = 2.2, 1.6-3.1), higher wealth (OR = 1.1-1.4), and urban residence (OR = 4.3, 3-6). In adjusted analyses, ow/ob at age 8 was associated with early nutrition practices at age 5, including frequent consumption of powdered milk (OR = 2.8, 1.6-4.6), honey/sugar (OR = 2.7, 1.8-4.1), prepared restaurant/fast foods (OR = 4.6, 2.6-8.2), and packaged sweets (OR = 3.4, 2.3-4.9). In addition, breastfeeding for 6 months or longer was protective against obesity at age 8 (OR = 0.3, 0.1-0.9).Conclusions: We found that increased consumption of powdered milk, honey/sugar, packaged sweets, and prepared restaurants/fast foods are associated with childhood ow/ob. In contrast, breastfeeding for 6 months or longer was protective against childhood ow/ob. These findings suggest that public health programs and campaigns aimed to prevent childhood ow/ob in Vietnam should target early feeding practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-year oral health and nutrition intervention project comprised of health education, fluoride varnish application, dental screenings and focus groups reached 586 children in 2011 from five primary schools in Ho-Chi Minh City and Da Nang, Vietnam. We investigated the effectiveness of the intervention longitudinally on nutrition, mouth pain and decayed/missing/filled teeth (dmft) scores in children aged 2 to 6 from 2011-2013. Children's average dmft score decreased while overweight status skyrocketed over three years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We investigated the relationships among early childhood caries (ECC), mouth pain, and nutritional status in children aged 1 to 6 years in Southern and Central Vietnam. Methods. A total of 593 parent-child pairs were recruited from 5 kindergartens or preschools in Ho-Chi Minh City and Da Nang. Parents completed surveys about dietary habits, oral health practices, and children's mouth pain experience; children received anthropometric assessment and dental examinations. Results. There was a high prevalence of dental caries (74.4%), mostly untreated, and mouth pain (47.1%). Moderate correlations were found between parents' and children's consumption of soda (ρ = 0.361; P < .001) and salty snacks (ρ = 0.292; P < .001). Severity of ECC was associated with decreased weight- and body mass index-for-age z-scores. Presence of pulp-involved caries was associated with strikingly lower height-for-age (mean difference = 0.66; P = .001), weight-for-age (mean difference = 1.17; P < .001), and body mass index-for-age (mean difference = 1.18; P < .001) z-scores. Mouth pain was associated with lower body mass index-for-age z-scores (mean difference = 0.29; P = .013). Conclusions. ECC might negatively affect children's nutritional status, which might be mediated by the depth of decay, chronic inflammation, and mouth pain. Family-based and prevention-oriented nutrition and oral health programs are needed and should start during pregnancy and infancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report presents the first population-based estimates of maternal mortality in Vietnam. All the deaths of women aged 15-49 in 1994-95 in three provinces of Vietnam were identified and classified by cause. Maternal mortality was the fifth most frequent cause of death. The maternal mortality ratio was 155 deaths per 100,000 live births. This ratio compares with the World Health Organization's estimates of 430 such deaths globally and 390 for Asia. The maternal mortality ratio in the delta regions of these provinces was half that of the mountainous and semimountainous regions. Because a larger proportion of the Vietnamese population live in delta regions than elsewhere, the maternal mortality ratio for Vietnam as a whole may be lower than that of the three provinces studied. Maternal mortality is low in Vietnam primarily because a relatively high proportion of deliveries take place in clinics and hospitals, where few women die in childbirth. Also, few women die of the consequences of induced abortion in Vietnam because the procedure is legal and easily available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]