HANOI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Each Vietnamese person has, on average, eaten 200 grams of vegetables a day over the past 20 years, half of the world's rate recommended by the World Health Organization, local newspaper Family and Society reported Monday.

    Vietnamese people often eat boiled or cooked vegetables. Many are afraid of eating fresh vegetables due to foodstuff hygienic safety and time factors. It takes time to prepare salads.

    According to a survey by the Vietnam Nutrition Institute, the volume of meat consumed by local people increased five times between 1985 and 2005, that of eggs and dairy products surged 24 times, and that of fat and oil rose four times. However, the volume of vegetables remained almost unchanged.

    An increasing number of local people, especially those in urban areas, have suffered from diet-related diseases such as obesity and diabetics. In urban districts of Hanoi capital, 4.9 percent of children aged 4-6 are either overweight or obese.