VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam Pediatricians’ Association has released its recommendations for children’s nutritional needs, advocating that babies bebreast-fed and that a variety of foods be given to maintain health and normal growth.

The association’s recommendations include nutritional supplements like the brand name products Natri and Kali, particularly for children under five years old.

The report includes detailed information on the recommended weights for children according to their age and height.

Also highlighted is the importance of breast milk for newborn babies and young children aged under two years.

"Our recommendation is based on the World Health Organisation’s international growth standard for children in 2006," said Dr Nguyen Cong Khanh, deputy chairman of the association.

Khanh and colleagues said the recommendations were for Vietnamese children in both rural and urban areas.

He said many parents thought Vietnamese kids were shorter than their Western peers because of genetics and ethnicity.

"That view is wrong. The WHO found that all children are similar in how they develop if they are given a good environment and proper care and nutrition," said Khanh.

He said urban parents cared too much about increasing their children’s weight and did not pay enough attention to nutrition needed for the development of the brain, bones and height.

Khanh said the recommendations were drawn up to help parents, particularly those with children under five years old, determine whether they were providing the right kind of care and nutrition.

"Later this month, we will send information to more than 3,000 doctors, healthcare workers and nutritionists across the country, particularly those working in hospitals and clinics in remote areas. We will also provide booklets for parents and schoolteachers," he said.

The association will also host several seminars and forums in HCM City, Hanoi and Da Nang for staff working in the field.

Mother’s milk

A recent survey by the VPA showed that 75% of Vietnamese children under two years of age were both bottle and breastfed while only 20% of babies under four months old were breast-fed.

The researchers found that many urban mothers bottle-fed their infants and were unaware that they could use breast milk for children up to two years old.

A few thought formula milk was much better for their children’s growth than breast milk.

"This is one of the main reasons for malnutrition and a poor immune system among young children in urban areas," said Khanh.

Nutritionists say breast milk contains all the basic and essential nutrients that a baby needs, including fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

It also includes "good" fats, such as the essential fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), omega 3 fatty acids and AA (acrachhidonic acid), all of which are necessary for the development of the brain.

"Our priority is to encourage and support the use of breast milk," added Khanh, who believes the situation will improve significantly with public education activities.

Nutritional knowledge

"Better understanding about nutrition is very important for parents," said Dr Nguyen Lan of the National Institute of Nutrition, speaking last week at an event in HCM City on the latest studies on Vietnamese children’s nutritional status.

Organised by the institute and its partner, Nestle Vietnam, the event showcased two studies targeting children two to 12 years of age, highlighting the importance of nutrition, physical activities and breast milk.

Lan’s and partner Nguyen Quang Dung’s study on 1,699 children aged six to 12 in Hanoi and HCM City found that 6% of children in Hanoi and 24.4% of children in HCM City were overweight.

Most parents surveyed had some knowledge about nutrition and childcare, but nearly half rarely encouraged their children to exercise and often urged children to eat bigger than necessary meals with so-called "quality food".

(Source: Viet Nam News)