On average, a Vietnamese person consumes 1 liter of soft drinks per week, and the rate of overweight and obesity is increasing rapidly, especially among young people.
The information was provided by experts at a workshop providing information to the press about the harmful effects of sugary drinks on health, and the role of tax policy in controlling consumption, on the morning of April 5.
Dr. Angela Pratt, Chief Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) Office in Vietnam, said that increased consumption of sugary drinks increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, tooth decay, and obesity. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and other diseases including cancer.
The WHO recommends that consumption of free sugars – any sugar added to food or drink – should be limited to less than 10% of total energy intake, ideally less than 5%. So that's about 25 grams a day for the average adult.
In Vietnam, the consumption of sugary drinks has increased rapidly over the past 10 years. It is estimated that on average, a Vietnamese person consumes 1 liter of sugary drinks per week.
“We are seeing rapid increases in overweight and obesity, particularly among young people. In urban areas, more than one in four 15-19 year olds are overweight or obese. We need to take decisive action to reverse these negative trends,” said Dr Angela Pratt.
WHO also recommends measures including front-of-pack nutrition labelling, restrictions on advertising, restrictions on sugary drinks in schools and education on healthy nutrition for children and adolescents.
Associate Professor, Dr. Truong Tuyet Mai, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Nutrition (Ministry of Health) said that obesity has become a problem in the world. The rate of overweight and obesity, especially in children, is increasing rapidly, with 1 in 5 children being overweight or obese.
In Vietnam, in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the rate of overweight and obesity in children can be up to 40%, in adults it is 20%, and in some localities it is up to nearly 30%.
Unreasonable consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is a cause of overweight and obesity. Increases or decreases in free sugar consumption (regardless of sugar content) are positively associated with weight change.
According to Associate Professor Mai, to limit sugar consumption, we need to be aware of limiting added sugar, using low-sugar or sugar-free products to ensure the body has a healthy balance of nutrients. The amount of free sugar consumed per day should not exceed 25 grams, and we should get into the habit of reading product labels to know how much sugar we are consuming. Children under 2 years old should not consume any food or drink with added sugar.
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