Vietnam National Heart Association warns of rising obesity and cardiovascular risks

The Vietnam National Heart Association has released the ‘2026 Consensus on Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease’ to address the rapid rise of obesity in the country. Professor Pham Manh Hung, President of the Association, emphasized that obesity should be treated as a chronic disease with the primary goal of reducing cardiovascular events rather than just weight loss.

Vietnam is experiencing one of the fastest increases in overweight and obesity rates globally. While the adult obesity rate was 19.5% in 2021, the rate is projected to increase by approximately 4.0% annually through 2035. By 2030, an estimated 18.92 million adults in Vietnam will be overweight or obese.

Of particular concern is the surge in childhood and adolescent obesity. Between 2010 and 2025, the rate of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents aged 5–19 increased by an average of 7.9% per year, one of the highest rates in the world. By 2025, approximately 4.8 million young people in this age group are expected to be affected.

Medical experts warn that excess adipose tissue acts as an endocrine and immune organ, contributing to hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, and heart failure. Obesity increases the metabolic demand on the circulatory system and can worsen the prognosis for those already suffering from heart failure.