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Eight of 10 deaths in Vietnam caused by non-communicable diseases

Vietnam is facing the burden of non-communicable diseases, mainly cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer.

Non-communicable diseases cause eight out of 10 deaths in Vietnam, said Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son at a seminar on “Diet relating to non-communicable diseases in Asia” on November 19.
 
Ultrasound examination of  patient's heart. Photo: Le Phuong
Ultrasound examination of patient's heart. Photo: Le Phuong
About 12 million Vietnamese people live with hypertension. Nearly 60% of these have not been diagnosed and over 80% have not been treated. In addition, more than three million people live with diabetes and 70% have not been diagnosed.

According to the survey on global disease burden in 2017, non-communicable disease causes 15 million deaths in developing countries, an increase of nearly 3.8 million compared to 2000.

Countries facing the burden of disease between infectious diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, mental illness and diabetes.

Dietary related diseases such as overweight, obesity are increasing among young people. Studies show that eating less vegetables and fruits is associated with 19% of stomach and intestinal cancers, 31% of  ischemic heart disease and 11% of stroke. Salt  is one of the causes of stroke, hypertension, stomach cancer, kidney failure, osteoporosis and some other cardiovascular diseases.

According to the Ministry of Health’s survey in 2015, more than 50% of adults eat less vegetables or fruit. People eat salt twice as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The rate of overweight obesity increased rapidly. 

"Proper nutrition and healthy food are a top priority in preventing non-communicable diseases and improving people's health," Deputy Minister Son stressed.

He added that Vietnam focuses on controlling risk factors, early detection and continual and lifetime monitoring of patients with non-communicable diseases.
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