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Cháo – A quick and easy porridge made from locally sourced ingredients helps to promote nutrition in Son La, Vietnam

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Cháo – A quick and easy porridge made from locally sourced ingredients helps to promote nutrition in Son La, Vietnam

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Food demonstrations play a vital role in promoting health and well-being in the northern and mountainous province of Son La, Vietnam. As a region with diverse agricultural resources, Son La has the potential to provide a wide range of nutritious foods. However, there is often a lack of knowledge and awareness about good nutrition and its impact on health. In this context, food demonstrations are a way to educate and empower individuals and communities.

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One of the key benefits of food demonstrations is to provide a practical and hands-on learning experience. By showcasing the preparation of nutritious meals using locally available ingredients, these demonstrations offer valuable insights into the use of local resources to maintain a healthy diet. Participants can learn how to make nutritious meals using affordable and readily available ingredients, which is particularly important for low-income households.

“Mothers who live in remote villages sometimes lack education and resources to prepare age-appropriate and nutritious food. Due to some misconceptions, they also sometimes introduce solid food to their infants earlier than six months. In the past, food demonstrations were only done in community health centers, which makes it difficult for mothers who live far away to participate. But now, they happen in their own villages.”

- Ms. Sam – Community Health Midwife in Chieng Bom commune

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The food demonstrations provide parents and caregivers with ideas for meals and recipes for quick and easy porridge using ingredients easily available in their local community.

A common practice among many low-income households in the Son La region is the use of instant porridge packets as a source of food for infants. These ready-to-use packages offer few nutrients that are important for proper growth and development. Another common practice is the frequent consumption of unhealthy snacks which is encouraged by the low price and attractive advertising. For example, “Bim Bim” is a highly processed snack similar to potato chips, that many mothers give to their children. Poor nutrition practices, including replacing breastmilk with other sources of food or introducing low-nutrient foods, contribute to malnutrition, stunting and diminished cognitive development. The food demonstrations provide parents and caregivers with ideas for meals and recipes for quick and easy porridge using ingredients easily available in their local community.

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According to Ms. Sam, many children in the Chieng Bom commune of Son La, are small in size for their age and are poorly nourished because they do not have a healthy diet. Malnutrition is a persistent issue among Vietnam’s ethnic minority communities, many of whom live in remote and rural provinces like Son La. More than 30% of children in Son La are stunted while the national average is only 17.5%. Micronutrient deficiencies are also common. In the northern and mountainous regions of Vietnam, nearly one-third of children under 5 and one-third of pregnant women are anaemic. Food demonstrations play a role in addressing nutrition challenges in the community by educating participants on incorporating a variety of nutrient-rich and energy-dense foods that are locally available and culturally appropriate into their diet.

Furthermore, food demonstrations promote community engagement and participation. They provide an opportunity for individuals of all ages to come together and learn as a group. By involving local community members, including mothers and fathers, other caregivers, and children, these demonstrations foster a sense of collective responsibility toward improving nutrition and health outcomes. This communal approach encourages peer support, knowledge sharing, and a supportive network that can reinforce positive dietary practices.

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Ms. Sam also shared that since starting the food demonstrations, many mothers have provided feedback that they now know how to make a new version of porridge using diverse and local ingredients such as fish, peanuts and tofu. Before, they only knew how to make porridge with one main ingredient such as pork or beef, now they are aware of different types of proteins to choose from.

The food demonstrations are arranged and supported by HealthBridge Vietnam and CDC Son La. They are made possible by support from the Peter Gilgan Foundation.

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