Hanoi, August 14, 2025 – Dr. Philipp Rösler, former Vice Chancellor of Germany and CEO of Concessor AG, emphasized the crucial role of school nutrition in shaping the future health and development of Vietnamese youth.

Traveling more than 8,000 kilometers from Europe to attend the International Scientific Conference on School Nutrition 2025 – “For a Healthy Vietnam, For Vietnamese Stature”, Dr. Rösler joined leading experts, policymakers, and educators to highlight the importance of integrating nutrition into education and legislation.

The conference, organized by the Central Propaganda and Education Commission in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health of Vietnam, underscored the urgent need for comprehensive policies to improve nutrition and prevent lifestyle-related diseases.

Early Nutrition – A Foundation for Lifelong Health

In his keynote remarks, Dr. Rösler drew from both his professional background as a physician and his personal experience growing up in Germany after being adopted from Vietnam. He emphasized that nutrition during early childhood directly influences health outcomes in adulthood:

“Seventy percent of the human brain develops before the age of five. If we invest in proper nutrition early, we can prevent diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions later in life,” he stated.

Dr. Rösler underlined the role of fresh milk as a cornerstone of healthy growth, cognitive development, and disease prevention. Sharing his own childhood experience of being encouraged by his adoptive father to drink milk daily, he noted that “pure fresh milk remains one of nature’s most effective tools for supporting healthy development.”

Learning from Global Best Practices

Drawing on Germany’s national health and nutrition strategy, Dr. Rösler presented insights from successful European initiatives. Since 2007, Germany and the European Union have implemented school-based nutrition programs that provide children with fresh milk, fruits, and vegetables while promoting sustainable dietary habits.

“The EU invests over 220 million euros annually to ensure balanced school nutrition across its 27 Member States. These programs have reached over 20 million children and helped reduce childhood obesity rates,” Dr. Rösler explained.

He stressed that Vietnam does not need to start from scratch but can adapt international best practices to local conditions. “Vietnam has the leadership, the agricultural base, and the determination to build its own strong and sustainable model of school nutrition,” he affirmed.

A Call for Policy and Partnership

According to Dr. Rösler, the next step for Vietnam is to legislate national standards for school nutrition. He recommended a phased approach that combines government-led standards and financial support with private-sector contributions and expertise.

“Good school nutrition means healthy children and better learning outcomes,” he said. “Vietnam can build a system that is both evidence-based and tailored to its unique cultural and regional needs.”

He also encouraged Vietnam to strengthen international cooperation, particularly through EU–ASEAN partnerships, to exchange expertise and foster sustainable development in health, education, and agriculture.

Read more (in Vietnamese): https://soha.vn/thanh-nien-viet-nam-dang-thap-hon-nhat-ban-han-quoc-can-luat-hoa-cac-quy-dinh-ve-dinh-duong-hoc-duong-198250814153819729.htm