The number of Vietnamese children under five-years-old suffering fromacute and chronic malnutrition in 2014 has reduced slightly from 2013,revealed Vietnam ’s National Institute of Nutrition on February 2.

Accordingly,about 14.5 percent of the children under the age of five suffer fromacute malnutrition while 24.9 percent of those are underweight, downfrom 15.3 percent and 25.9 percent in 2013, respectively.

Therate of malnourished children varied by region. In the CentralHighlands, children with acute malnutrition and chronic malnutritionaccounted for 22.6 percent and 34.9 percent of the child population,respectively, while only 19.8 percent and 30.7 percent of childrensuffered in the northern midland and mountainous areas.

Severalmore developed provinces, including Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City andQuang Nam , also recorded a drop in malnutrition cases, but saw arise in childhood obesity. The obesity rate among children in Hanoiis 5.4 percent.

The malnutrition figures are released annually, based on the data collected from 63 cities and provinces nationwide.

Theinformation will provide policy-makers with the necessary context todevelop plans to raise public awareness of a proper nutritional diet andnecessary changes in childcare behaviour to decrease malnutrition inchildren.

There are three types of malnutrition in children:acute malnutrition, chronic malnutrition and acute & chronicmalnutrition.

Acute malnutrition is caused by acute inadequate nutrition which leads to rapid weight loss or failure to gain weight normally.

Chronicmalnutrition results in stunting or shortness because of inadequatenutrition over a long period of time leading to failure of lineargrowth.

Acute and chronic malnutrition causes wasting, stunting, or both.-VNA