Childhood Obesity in Vietnam: Advancing Lifelong Health after Gestational Diabetes (VALID III)

project summary

Childhood obesity is an escalating global health problem. Previously considered a high-income country problem, childhood obesity is now increasing rapidly in low- and middle-income countries with profound implications for children’s health and quality of life, healthcare systems, and national economies. Obesity affects the child for life, increasing future risks of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases, and cancers. Prevention of obesity in children is, therefore, key to curbing the NCD pandemic. Building on our previous research on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Vietnam, this project investigates childhood obesity after GDM, focusing on children aged 0-2.
While GDM usually resolves after childbirth, the condition has significant health implications: children born after GDM are at greater risk of obesity, and both mothers and children have heightened NCD risks. As early life adiposity tracks into adulthood, the first years of life are a particularly important window of opportunity for obesity prevention, and appropriate management of GDM before and after birth holds significant potential for improving the lifelong health of women and children. Yet in Vietnam and many other countries, this potential for health promotion remains unrealized, and evidence-based knowledge to inform policies and interventions is lacking.
Seeking to contribute to global and local efforts to prevent childhood obesity, this project investigates whether a gender-sensitive and culturally tailored family health intervention addressing childhood obesity as an intergenerational issue can contribute to preventing childhood obesity after GDM, while also enhancing maternal health and well-being. The project emphasizes the role of grandparents in child health and nutrition, particularly in the first years of life where grandparents are often the main caregivers. Aiming to enhance evidence-based and people-centred prevention and management of NCDs, with particular focus on integration of NCD prevention and maternal/child health, the project takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining theories and methods from anthropology, clinical medicine, health intervention research, nutrition science, and public health. The research builds on a fruitful academic partnership between Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy (TBUMP) and the Universities of Copenhagen (UCPH) and Southern Denmark (SDU).