Nguyen Cong Khan, Director of the Nutrition Institute, said that the obesity rate in Vietnam is not high yet according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard for the Asian region, but it has been above 16 percent and is increasing remarkably in each age group.

The overweight rate has clearly increased among people aged 35-44 from almost 0 percent to 15 percent of the population, he said.

The survey also showed that obesity rates vary depending on the regions. The highest rate was recorded in the southeast area with 30 percent, while the rate in the Mekong Delta is 21 percent; the Red River delta, 12 percent, and the northeast area, 9.5 percent.

Mr Khan attributed this situation to nutrition diets involving increased rations of meat and fat, as well as to a lifestyle of little physical exercise.