Uncontagious diseases are on upward trend owing to improper diet, said Dr. Le Bach Mai, deputy head of the National Institute of Nutrition.
At a ceremony held by the Ministry of Health on October 8 to launch the “Week of Nutrition and Growth”, which will last from October 16-23, Dr. Mai stressed that Vietnam is facing double burden .
While the rate of infectious diseases in the community is on the drastic downward trend, the proportion of non-communicable diseases increased from 42 percent to 71 percent within two past decades.
Moreover, mortality rate of uncontagious diseases account for 73 percent; of which heart and cancer problems are leading with 33 percent and 18 percent respectively.
Representative from the National Institute of Nutrition laid the blame of increasing non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity in the country, especially in urban districts on improper diet.
Through investigation, the rate of adult with diabetes disease increased over 200 percent within ten past years with nearly 5 million infected people.
