Vietnam school nutrition requires mandatory national standards

Bui Thi Mai Huong has called for the implementation of mandatory national technical standards for school meals in Vietnam to address significant nutritional disparities and operational hurdles. Currently, the lack of binding federal regulations forces schools and food caterers to rely on informal experience rather than standardized clinical requirements.

Data from 2020 highlights a dual burden of malnutrition: stunting rates reached 37.4 percent among children under five in northern mountainous regions, while overweight and obesity rates hit 26.8 percent among children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 in urban centers. Micronutrient deficiencies are also widespread, with zinc deficiency affecting 58 percent of children and vitamin A deficiency affecting 9.5 percent.

Operational challenges include a shortage of specialized nutrition personnel and severe regional disparities in infrastructure. Many schools lack adequate kitchen facilities, food preservation equipment, and clean water access. To address these gaps, Huong advocates for a policy framework tailored to local economic conditions, including targeted training for existing staff and prioritized financial assistance for disadvantaged regions.