According to nutrition experts, compared with 35 years ago, the height of the Vietnamese has increased by 4 cm, but the height growth is still slower than the neighboring countries such as Thailand and China.

The recent surveys of height and habitus show that in each 10 years, the Vietnamese’s height increases by 1 cm, compared to 2cm for the Thai and Chinese.

The development of the child's height depends on nutrition, genetics, sleep and exercise. 

Nutrition surveys also reveal that of nearly five Vietnamese children under five years old, one is underweight and each three children of under 5 years old, one is short and small. The main causes are the living environment, diet and mode of living not really reasonable.

Dr. Do Thi Ngoc Diep, director of the HCM City Nutrition Center, the height and habitus of children depends on genetic (20 percent) and nutritional, environmental factors and sports training account for over 50 percent. "Despite an improvement in height, statistics show that many children are still small and short because of many different causes, including nutritional factors," Diep said.

Vietnamnet