Vietnamese officials have paid little attention to physical activity. But they continue to be very concerned about undernourishment. UNICEF says 28 percent of Vietnam’s children are not as big as they should be. This is especially a problem in rural areas of the country. But people who live in cities are often overweight. So government policies must be different depending on whether an area is rural or urban.
Mr. Mathisen says there is a way to solve both kinds of malnutrition at once. He says Vietnam must help people learn to eat a balanced diet. He says such“food diversity protects against both under nutrition and overweight problems.” He says that is one good solution that will deal with both problems.