Eat Healthy! - Việt Nam

You will most likely find an increased interest in the lesson content when it is adapted to the students' culture. This can make for more interesting freer practice of the productive tasks (speaking and writing activities). As this can lead to students asking you questions, a basic knowledge of the Vietnamese nutritional requirements (as recommended by WHO and the Vietnamese government) can be a useful resource for teachers.

 

The primary objectives of the Vietnamese Ministry of Health for 2012 – 2020 are (4):

 

1. Increase quantity of food thereby decreasing malnutrition (especially in children).

2. Decrease the prevalence of obesity and high cholesterol levels

3. Increase the quality of food

a) balanced diet (Protein 14%, Fat 18%, Carbohydrates 68%)

b) improve hygenic practices in food preparation and storage

c) increase critical vitamins and minerals: Vitamin A, Iron and Iodine

 

What this means for English teachers:

 

Points 1 and 3b will normally be outside the scope of the English classroom, especially in private language schools. However, we can help to address the other points by not giving sugary or high in fat snacks as a reward to our students (try some fruit instead!) and placing more emphasis on images of whole rather than processed foods.

The Vietnamese balanced diet is not the same as a Western balanced diet!

 

The most striking difference to be aware of is the balance of macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) that the Vietnamese health authorities recommend.

 

Macronutrient guidelines for adults in various regions. (percentage of total energy)
Country/Region	Vietnam	Mediterranean Diet (5)	USA (6)
Protein	14%	12-15%	10-35%
Fat	18%	30-35%	20-35%
Carbohydrates	68%	50-60%	45-65%

 

The Vietnamese people don't need to consume as much fat and protein as we do, therefore adopting a Western diet is not healthy.

 

It is the premise of this site that the traditional Vietnamese diet should be respected at all times in the classroom with limited reference to processed food like pizza, potato crisps, hamburgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, biscuits, chocolate, processed foods, etc.