Nutrition and the goal of sustainable food system transformation

Despite the growing trend toward healthy and sustainable food consumption, Vietnam continues to struggle with the "double burden" of malnutrition and obesity. According to data from the National Institute of Nutrition (Ministry of Health), the prevalence of stunting (Chronic Energy Deficiency - CED) among children under five currently stands at 19.6%, while the rate among women and the elderly ranges from 13% to 18%.

Conversely, the overweight rate in children under five has reached 7.3%, though it has already surpassed 10% in urban areas. Among adults, this figure fluctuates between 19% and 22%, leading to a rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension (over 30%), diabetes (7.3%), and cardiovascular diseases.

Citing these statistics, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Truong Tuyet Mai, Vice Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, emphasized the urgent need for a food system reform that places nutrition at its core.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Truong Tuyet Mai, improving nutrition requires a systematic, synchronized, and long-term approach. Specifically, she emphasized strengthening policies to control negative factors, such as unhealthy foods and the excessive consumption of sugar, salt, and saturated fats, while simultaneously creating mechanisms to promote positive dietary drivers.

Many countries are fostering dietary shifts through public education, carbon emission labeling on food products, and reducing meat and dairy consumption in public meals in favor of alternative products. In this context, Vietnam needs to increase fruit and vegetable consumption by improving production chains and ensuring safe, stable, and high-quality supplies.

"I encourage communication and awareness-raising to promote home gardening and behavioral changes in eating habits, aiming for a consumption level of over 400 grams of vegetables per person per day," shared Assoc. Prof. Mai. "Interdisciplinary coordination, coupled with technological innovation, will serve as the foundation for developing nutrient-rich vegetable products tailored to specific regions and establishing a sustainable food system."

According to research, a poor, monotonous, unbalanced, and unhealthy diet currently contributes to approximately 10% of the total annual mortality rate. On a global scale, it is estimated that the world loses billions of dollars each year due to consequences linked to lack of dietary diversity, inadequacy, and unhealthy eating habits.

Echoing this perspective, Mr. Toko Kato, Senior Food and Nutrition Specialist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), emphasized: Nutrition must be integrated from the very beginning of the design, monitoring, and evaluation phases of food system transformation projects.

Drawing from practical implementation in Laos and Indonesia, he noted that nutrition serves as a clear objective in project outcomes, with multi-sectoral coordination being the key to success. In this framework, government agencies are responsible for policy-making and resource allocation, while businesses act as the "links" that create a safe food environment accessible to the public.

"A sustainable food system is inseparable from climate change adaptation, nutrition security, and biodiversity conservation," the ADB expert stressed. "In the coming time, Vietnam needs to further strengthen policy dialogue and expand cooperation with partners such as FAO, JICA, IFAD, CIAT, and WFP. I also propose scaling up effective models while enhancing national capacity to attract nutrition-sensitive investments."

For the 2026-2030 period, the Department of Cooperatives and Rural Development proposes institutionalizing nutrition security as an official core pillar within the National Target Programs on Sustainable Poverty Reduction and New Rural Development. 

The strategy will shift toward a capacity-based poverty reduction approach that ensures community nutrition security, with cooperatives and community-based organizations positioned at the center of local food system organization. On this basis, nutrition will be mainstreamed across objectives on climate change adaptation, the promotion of green transition, and the development of sustainable livelihoods over the long term.

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Viet Nam and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), organized the ISG Plenary Meeting Advancing the food systems transformation toward green, low-emission, and sustainablity: Partnership and innovation.

It serves as a high-level forum between the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and its partners to share research findings, showcase model implementation, and align resource support with national priorities in agriculture and rural development, thereby advancing the transformation of food systems toward greater transparency, accountability, and sustainability.

At the conference, FAO also launched the International Year of Women Farmer 2026, highlighting the vital role of women in building inclusive and sustainable food systems.