The general alcohol consumption rate of Vietnamese people was high at 43.8 per cent of the country’s adult population (Photo: vtc.vn)
Hanoi (VNA)𝔍 – At 43.8 percent of the country’s adult population, general alcohol consumption rate of Vietnamese people is higher than some might expect.
More than 77 percent of adult males and 11 percent of women said that they had consumed at least six units of alcohol in the past 30 days. More than 44 percent of men and 1.2 percent of women said that they had engaged in heavy episodic drinking.
The figures on alcohol consumption were part of the latest survey on non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors revealed on September 8 in Hanoi.
The survey found that the general smoking rate of Vietnamese aged 15 years and above was at 22.5 percent. The percentage of males who currently smoked tobacco was very high at 45.3 percent, while female smoking was at 1.1 percent.
“Overweight and obesity rate was at 15.6 percent in Vietnam. Vietnamese on average consumed 9.4 grams of salt daily, nearly double the WHO recommendation level of below 5 grams of salt daily,” the survey said.
It added that nearly one third, or 28.1 percent, of Vietnamese people did not indulge in physical exercise. As a result, nearly 19 percent of Vietnamese people had high blood pressure (HA) problems. The HA rate was higher in males at 23.1 percent and 14.9 percent in females.
WHO representative Nguyen Tuan Lam said Vietnam should put forward intervention measures against NCD with a focus on strengthening law and regulations on alcohol damage prevention.
The country should effectively implement measures following recommendations of the WHO, such as alcohol promotion and advertisement, set a time limit for selling and purchasing beer and wines, alcohol trading and tax policies.
Vietnam should also undertake measures to reduce the use of salt through education and communication programmes and integrate the programme on overweight and obesity prevention into the National Nutrition Programme, Lam added.
The survey was conducted by the Ministry of Health’s Preventive Medicine Department on nearly 3,800 people aged between 18 and 69 years in Vietnam in 2015.
The survey has three parts - questionnaire, physical measurements and biochemical measurements. Data is collected to help countries build and strengthen their surveillance capacity and develop appropriate strategy and intervention policies.
The Ministry of Health said that while the communicable disease rate was reducing, NCD rate increased to 71.6 percent in 2012, compared with 40 percent in 1986 and 60 percent in 2006. Deaths caused by NCDs make up 73 percent of the total deaths, primarily cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases.-VNA
Drunk driving is the cause of 70 percent of traffic accidents in Vietnam, Office Chief of the National Traffic Safety Committee Nguyen Trong Thai said, urging drastic measures to tackle the problem.
Vietnam has recorded an increasing number of young people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, which kill 200,000 people per year, heard a workshop in Hanoi on July 20.
The proportion of malnourished children is reducing remarkably but the ratio of childhood obesity is on the rise, according to the Ministry of Health’s Department of Preventive Medicine.
Vietnam is among the countries having the highest rates of smokers, heard a conference in Hanoi on September 6 to announce the results of a survey on tobacco use of adults in Vietnam.
Hanoi is advancing green transportation as part of its sustainability goals but faces challenges like limited charging infrastructure, inconsistent regulations, and high electric vehicle costs.
Vietnam has over 4.8 million people exposed to AO/dioxin, including hundreds of thousands in the second, third, and even fourth generations. Many live with severe disabilities, facing high medical costs and loss of earning capacity.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang reaffirmed that amnesty is a humanitarian policy of the Party and State, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of compassion and winning attention and high praise both domestically and internationally.
Vietnam officially grants limited-term visa-free entry to high-profile foreigners whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.
With support from the Vietnamese Association in Ufa, Vietnamese language classes for children have been offered for many years. Currently, 60 children of various ages are attending two classes taught by Duc Anh, free of charge.
Vietnam ranked among the top four countries and territories at the 2025 International Olympiad on Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), reaffirming its strong position in international academic competitions.
All 20 crew members aboard the Vietnamese oil tanker GT Unity were successfully rescued from a fire in the vessel’s engine room, thanks to the swift response of the Liberian-flagged ship Androusa and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams.
Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
Running from August 4 to September 2, under the hashtag #TuHaoVietNam, the campaign invites participants in two categories: “I Love My Country” video clips and “I Love My Country” check-in photos.
Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
The parade and personnel send-off ceremony will officially take place on August 10 at the area surrounding the Statue of King Ly Thai To and Dinh Tien Hoang street of Hoan Kiem ward, with the participation of nearly 3,000 officers, soldiers, and local residents.
According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
Specifically, the ships will carry out patrols from 7am to 6pm daily along the main tourist routes in Ha Long Bay, with one ship permanently stationed at Ti Top island. From 6pm to 7am the following day, the mobile vessels return to Tuan Chau island to maintain a 24/7 on-call duty shift, ensuring constant readiness.
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) plans to open to traffic 208km of expressways of six key projects by August 19, bringing the country’s total expressway network to 2,476km.
As of July 1, a two-tier local government model started in 34 provinces and cities, streamlining administration but creating a surplus of public properties. If not promptly addressed, these assets could become a financial burden.
Whether they grow up to become journalists, diplomats, or professionals in other fields, these children can one day become bridges of friendship and cooperation, telling new and inspiring stories of Vietnam – China relations, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.
A 21-year-old Indian tourist was successfully resuscitated and treated by doctors at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital after a near-drowning incident left him in critical condition. After three days of intensive care, the man was discharged from the hospital and has since returned to India.
In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
The general alcohol consumption rate of Vietnamese people was high at 43.8 per cent of the country’s adult population (Photo: vtc.vn)
