Vietnam is among the 20 countries with the highest ratio of children suffering from malnutrition, a conference on nutrition held in Hanoi heard Tuesday.

Dwarfishness is a result of chronic malnutrition, and those with the condition often suffer from side-effects through adulthood, including obesity and diabetes.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Chi Liem, Ph.D. said, “Activities promoting nutrition in 2007 helped reduce the ratio of malnourished children from 21.2 percent to 19.9 percent last year.”

However, these activities have met with difficulty because of the economic downturn while some diseases like diarrhea and measles are not quite under control, Liem said.

The conference, held by the Ministry of Health’s Nutrition Institute, heard that relevant agencies would take measures to deal with the situation such as promoting community education and improving pre-natal health care.

Source: VNA