Nearly one third of the country’s pre-school children suffer malnutrition while the childhood obesity rate is on the rise, according to a recent national survey. The 2010 General Nutrition Survey released yesterday in Hanoi by the Health Ministry showed that 29.3 percent of children under the age of five suffer from stunted growth. The rate in 31 provinces tops 30 percent, while in two other provinces it is above 40 percent, according to the report. The survey conducted by the Nutrition Institute and UNICEF also showed that the country had 1.3 million underweight children and another 2.1 million suffering from stunted growth. The finding showed that children in remote areas suffer the consequences of malnutrition at a rate twice as high as those who grew up in more developed regions of the country. The survey also showed that six percent of children suffer from obesity. The rate is higher in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, were the rate is between 12 and 15 percent. "This study has provided a more comprehensive picture of the nutritional situation of families in the country. This information adds to a wider understanding of the importance of the issue to our country," said Nguyen Viet Tien, Deputy Health Minister. Tien noted malnutrition remains a big challenge facing the country, especially in poor, remote and disaster-prone areas. The Health Ministry also launched the National Nutrition Strategy Plan through 2020. The goal of the strategy is to improve the physical and mental well-being of the population by ensuring adequate nutrition. The strategy aims to reduce the rate of stunted growth in children under five years old to 23 percent and underweight children to 12.5 percent by 2020.v