Vietnam’s weight drawback grows as prosperity reshapes diets and existence

HANOI – Dinh Tuan Huy, 16, has been, in his personal phrases, combating a dropping battle together with his weight for the reason that day in 2024 when he fell off his bicycle and briefly misplaced consciousness.

Doctors initially linked the episode to fatigue and sleep deprivation from examination stress. After some medical exams at a clinic in Hanoi, he was suggested to lose “at least 15 to 20kg” to revive his well being.

Yet, over the next 12 months, Huy gained one other 12kg. At 1.78m tall and 118kg, he has a physique mass index (BMI) of of 37.2 – which classifies him as overweight, in response to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Vietnam’s nationwide requirements.

“My classmates always teased me, calling me ‘Fatty’, but I didn’t pay much attention because who doesn’t get taunted at school?” mentioned the Hanoi teenager, now in Grade 10, which is equal to Secondary 4 in Singapore.

“But this health scare made me realise that maybe I should do something to slim down,” he advised The Straits Times.

Huy is certainly one of round 20 million Vietnamese – or roughly 20 per cent of the inhabitants – who’re chubby or overweight. According to the WHO, chubby is outlined as having a BMI of 25 or greater, and weight problems as 30 or greater. By Vietnam’s Ministry of Health pointers, nonetheless, the cut-off factors are barely decrease, bearing in mind native well being circumstances: the vary for chubby is 23 to 24.9, whereas weight problems is outlined as a BMI of 25 or greater.

That places Vietnam broadly in keeping with different South-east Asian nations, the place chubby and weight problems charges amongst youngsters and adults usually vary from the mid-10s to only over 20 per cent.

Overweight and weight problems ranges are significantly greater in Vietnam’s two largest cities, significantly among the many younger: More than half of teenagers in Ho Chi Minh City are chubby or overweight, in contrast with over 41 per cent in Hanoi.

Health consultants hyperlink this stark geographic hole to urbanites’ greater disposable incomes, sedentary existence and unhealthy consuming habits basically.

Endocrinologist Tran Quang Nam advised ST that speedy urbanisation has reworked day by day habits in large cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

“When people get busier, they start consuming more fast food, which is convenient, instead of home-cooked meals. Their physical activity, meanwhile, is reduced as lifestyles become more sedentary. The result is a much higher risk of obesity,” mentioned Nam, who heads the endocrinology division on the Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

“The Vietnamese government recognises obesity as a disease, not just a state of well-being. Since 2015, the Ministry of Health has incorporated it into the national strategy for preventing non-communicable diseases,” he famous.

In October 2022, the ministry issued its first specialised nationwide pointers for the analysis and remedy of weight problems, in response to rising charges.

Vietnam’s chubby and weight problems charges have risen markedly lately, reflecting broader life-style adjustments pushed by many years of robust financial development and open-door insurance policies.

This tempo of enhance has been among the many quickest in South-east Asia.

The nation’s grownup weight problems fee rose from 2.6 per cent in 2010 to three.6 per cent in 2014, a rise of 38 per cent in simply 4 years, in response to WHO information.

The World Obesity Federation initiatives annual development of 6.3 per cent for grownup weight problems and 9.8 per cent for baby weight problems in Vietnam by 2035.

Without early intervention, weight problems might price Vietnam as much as US$16.28 billion (S$21 billion) by 2035, or about 2 per cent of GDP, the federation estimates in its 2023 report.

The nation’s healthcare prices are projected to leap from US$372 million in 2020 to US$1.27 billion in 2035, the report signifies.

Against this backdrop, native well being authorities have warned of the rising medical burden posed by weight problems.

The Health Ministry has warned that weight problems will increase the danger of diabetes, most cancers, and cardiovascular and respiratory ailments, whereas additionally lowering high quality of life and social well-being.

Huy, {the teenager}, mentioned: “You don’t know how much I want to lose weight. Besides health reasons, I want to look good and I want to take part in all the activities my mates are doing.”

Nguyen Trong Hung, a medical physician who specialises in weight problems remedy on the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), mentioned that, like many different growing nations, the Vietnamese have turn into victims of their very own financial success.

“From struggling to feed themselves, people can now afford to eat what they want, and as much as they want. The result? They eat a lot!” he mentioned.

Hung, a director of the Center for Nutritional Counseling, Rehabilitation and Obesity Control that’s beneath the NIN’s purview, advised ST that solely 5 per cent to 10 per cent of weight problems instances are linked to endocrine issues, genetics or remedy.

“Most cases result from prolonged energy imbalance, where calorie intake exceeds energy expenditure,” he mentioned, including that food plan, exercise ranges and residing circumstances additionally play a job.

However, he famous rising public consciousness of weight problems dangers, particularly amongst city and higher-income teams.

In the previous, being plump was usually related to wealth and well being, with the time period “beo tot” used to explain somebody as “nicely fat”.

“Nowadays, more people are seeking help to lose weight as they become conscious of the risks,” he mentioned.

For businesswoman Anna Do, 49, sustaining a wholesome physique is crucial within the cosmetics business. During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2022, she gained weight as a consequence of “immense business pressure”.

“Many friends of mine also gained weight for the same reasons – we work hard to make money, we have to constantly dine and wine our business partners, and our metabolism slows down with age.”

She later adopted strict weight-reduction plan and train, and “thankfully, lost all the extra weight without any medical intervention”.

“But some friends chose to take slimming pills and even undergo surgical procedures such as liposuction,” she advised ST. “Most of them gained the weight back, though. I don’t think there are any quick ways to achieve sustainable weight loss.”

Still, weight reduction has turn into a fast-growing business in Vietnam, fuelled by social media tendencies and aggressive advertising and marketing of slimming merchandise.

Market analysis agency IMARC estimates Vietnam’s weight-loss market at US$1.29 billion in 2025, rising to US$2.61 billion by 2034.

It attributes that development to rising demand for health apps, wearable units and on-line weight-loss programmes.

The marketplace for different treatments, akin to slimming medication and dietary supplements, can be rising quick.

The broader dietary dietary supplements market can be increasing, estimated at US$1.21 billion in 2025 and projected to succeed in US$2.31 billion by 2033, in response to Grand View Research, one other market analysis agency.

Most weight-loss merchandise in Vietnam are bought as dietary or well being dietary supplements fairly than medicines. The well being authorities have repeatedly warned about unlicensed merchandise containing banned substances akin to sibutramine, which carries cardiovascular dangers.

“Natural supplements, especially herbal ones or those marketed as traditional medicine, are the most sought-after because people think they are harmless,” mentioned a standard medication practitioner who declined to be named as a result of delicate nature of the matter.

“But most are ineffective and can even cause adverse reactions. If they lead to initial weight loss, it is because they contain diuretic compounds, that’s all.”

In 2025, Ho Chi Minh City police arrested an influencer, Vo Thi Ngoc Ngan, for producing and distributing counterfeit “vegetable tablets” for weight reduction.

Before that, one other influencer, former Miss Grand International 2021 Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, was sentenced to 2 years’ jail for deceiving customers with “Kera Supergreens Gummies”, falsely promoted as well being merchandise.

Despite enforcement efforts, such dietary supplements stay extensively out there on-line.

Endocrine and vitamin knowledgeable Hung warned in opposition to self-treatment with regards to weight reduction.

“Obesity is an illness and needs professional medical attention,” he mentioned. “Anyone who worries about their weight should seek a doctor’s advice, not just read material on the internet.”

He added that sustainable weight reduction requires long-term adjustments in food plan, life-style and train.

Sixteen-year-old Huy admits that his weight-loss efforts haven’t been very profitable, “mainly due to daily stress”.

“I have to study very hard because there are only two years left before university exams,” he advised ST. “I also take Japanese and music lessons because my mum wants me to. So, I eat to relax.”

With pocket cash of 100,000 Vietnamese dong (S$5) every week, “all I can afford is fried snacks, crisps and sugary soft drinks”, he mentioned.

As a 2026 New Year’s decision, he signed up for boxing coaching twice every week.

“Nearly six months in, I am still breathless after 20 minutes and I can only do half of the exercises,” he confessed.

“But I have lost my appetite for fast food and, along with it, 18kg,” he grinned. “Furthermore, I think I may have a girlfriend now.”