More and more young people are becoming overweight and unhealthy. Some people think that governments are mainly responsible for solving this problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In Vietnam, more young people are eating fast food, drinking bubble tea, and ordering food through delivery apps instead of eating traditional meals. Because of this, rates of overweight and unhealthy young people have increased. Some people think the government is mainly responsible for solving this problem, but I only partly agree, because individual choices are also very important.在越南,越来越多的年轻人吃快餐、喝奶茶、通过外卖软件点餐,而不是吃传统餐食。因此,超重和不健康的年轻人比例有所上升。有人认为政府应对解决这一问题负主要责任,但我只是部分同意,因为个人选择同样非常重要。

Governments can definitely help to solve this problem. They can make policies such as taxing sugary drinks, controlling advertisements for junk food aimed at children, and making sure schools serve healthy food instead of fried snacks. Governments can also build more parks and sports facilities so that young people have safe places to exercise. For example, if a city builds a new park near a school, more students may choose to play sports there after class instead of staying at home.政府确实可以帮助解决这一问题。政府可以制定诸如对含糖饮料征税、管控面向儿童的垃圾食品广告,以及确保学校提供健康食物而非油炸零食等政策。政府还可以修建更多公园和运动设施,让年轻人有安全的地方锻炼身体。例如,如果一座城市在学校附近新建一座公园,更多学生放学后可能会选择去那里运动,而不是待在家里。

However, in the end, it is individuals who must choose to live a healthy lifestyle. Even with good government policies, nothing will change if young people are not willing to eat well and exercise. I remember that when I was a university student, I often ate fried food and rarely exercised, and I gradually gained weight. It was only when I decided myself to start cooking at home and going to the gym three times a week that I actually became healthier. No policy could have made that decision for me.然而,归根结底,选择健康的生活方式还是要靠个人自己。即使政府政策再好,如果年轻人自己不愿意好好吃饭、坚持锻炼,情况也不会有任何改变。我记得自己上大学时经常吃油炸食品,很少运动,体重也随之慢慢增加。直到我自己决定开始在家做饭,并且每周去三次健身房,我才真正变得更健康。这个决定是任何政策都无法替我做出的。

In conclusion, although governments have an important role to play in creating a healthier environment, individuals must also take responsibility for their own choices. Solving the problem of youth obesity requires effort from both the government and young people themselves.总之,尽管政府在营造更健康的环境方面扮演着重要角色,个人也必须为自己的选择负责。解决青少年肥胖问题需要政府和年轻人自身共同努力。

As diets in Vietnam shift away from traditional home-cooked meals towards fast food, sugary drinks and food-delivery apps, the number of overweight young people has risen noticeably in recent years. While some argue that governments are mainly responsible for tackling this issue, I believe that state action must be combined with individual responsibility, so I only partly agree.随着越南人的饮食习惯从传统的家常菜转向快餐、含糖饮料和外卖软件,近年来超重年轻人的数量明显增加。虽然有人认为政府应对解决这一问题负主要责任,但我认为国家行动必须与个人责任相结合,因此我只是部分同意这一观点。

Governments certainly have the power to shape a healthier environment for young people. They can introduce policies such as taxing sugary drinks, limiting the advertising of junk food to children, and requiring schools to serve nutritious meals rather than deep-fried snacks. Investing in public facilities, such as parks and sports grounds, also gives young people accessible places to stay active, which can turn exercise into a normal part of daily life rather than an extra effort. Measures like these shape the environment in which young people make everyday choices, even though they cannot force anyone to actually take up healthier habits.政府确实有能力为年轻人塑造更健康的环境。政府可以推出诸如对含糖饮料征税、限制针对儿童的垃圾食品广告,以及要求学校提供营养餐而非油炸零食等政策。投资建设公园、运动场等公共设施,也能让年轻人有便于到达的地方保持运动,使锻炼成为日常生活的自然组成部分,而不是额外的负担。这类措施塑造了年轻人做出日常选择所处的环境,尽管它们无法强迫任何人真正养成更健康的习惯。

Nevertheless, the final decision to live healthily still rests with the individual, since no policy can force someone to make better choices. During my final year at university, I often relied on fried takeout and rarely exercised, which led to a gradual but noticeable increase in weight. It was only after I committed to cooking simple meals at home and cycling three times a week that I actually lost weight and felt more energetic, a change that no government programme could have made for me.然而,是否选择健康的生活方式,最终决定权仍在个人手中,因为没有任何政策能强迫一个人做出更好的选择。在大学最后一年,我经常依赖油炸外卖,很少运动,体重也因此逐渐而明显地增加。直到我坚持在家自己做简单的饭菜,并且每周骑行三次,我才真正减重并感觉更有活力——这样的改变是任何政府项目都无法替我实现的。

In conclusion, while government policies are valuable for building a healthier environment, they are not enough on their own. Real progress against youth obesity depends on both government action and individuals taking responsibility for their own daily habits.总之,尽管政府政策对于营造更健康的环境很有价值,但仅靠政策本身还不够。要真正在青少年肥胖问题上取得进展,既需要政府的行动,也需要个人对自己日常习惯负起责任。

As diets in Vietnam shift from traditional rice-and-vegetable meals towards fast food, sugary bubble tea, and endless food-delivery apps, rates of overweight and obesity among urban children and teenagers have climbed noticeably in the past decade. While some argue that governments bear the main responsibility for reversing this trend, I contend that state intervention, though crucial, must be matched by individual accountability for lifestyle choices.随着越南人的饮食习惯从传统的米饭配蔬菜逐渐转向快餐、含糖珍珠奶茶以及层出不穷的外卖App，过去十年中，城市儿童和青少年超重及肥胖的比例明显上升。虽然有人认为政府应对扭转这一趋势承担主要责任，但我认为，尽管政府干预至关重要，它仍须与个人对生活方式选择所承担的责任相匹配。

Governments undeniably play a substantial role in shaping a nation's public health environment. They are uniquely positioned to implement policies that promote healthier living, such as taxing sugary drinks, restricting the marketing of junk food to children on television and social media, and requiring schools to serve nutritious lunches rather than deep-fried snacks. Furthermore, investing in accessible public amenities, such as parks, sports fields, and safe pavements, provides essential infrastructure for physical activity. For instance, projects that turn neglected riverbanks or canals into green corridors for walking and cycling encourage exercise to become part of daily life rather than a conscious, time-consuming effort.毫无疑问，政府在塑造一个国家的公共健康环境方面发挥着重要作用。政府有独特的能力去推行促进健康生活的政策，例如对含糖饮料征税、限制垃圾食品在电视和社交媒体上向儿童进行营销，并要求学校提供营养午餐而非油炸零食。此外，投资于公园、运动场和安全人行道等便利公共设施，为体育活动提供了必要的基础设施。例如，将被忽视的河岸或运河改造为供步行和骑行的绿色廊道的项目，能让锻炼融入日常生活的一部分，而不再是需要刻意付出时间的努力。

Nevertheless, the ultimate decision to adopt a healthy lifestyle rests with the individual. No amount of governmental provision can force someone to make beneficial choices if they are unwilling. In my experience as an operations supervisor for a coffee chain in Ho Chi Minh City, this became painfully clear on a personal level. Two years ago, a routine health check revealed mild fatty liver and elevated blood lipids, a direct result of my sedentary desk work and a habit of ordering fried takeout almost every evening after closing the shop. It was only by committing to evening jogs along the Nhieu Loc canal path near my home, initially difficult but sustained by turning it into a ritual with a colleague, and cutting my weekly takeout orders from six down to two, that I saw real improvement. After eight months, my fatty liver had disappeared, my blood lipids had normalised, and I had lost seven kilograms - none of which any government policy could have done for me.然而，是否采取健康生活方式的最终决定权仍在于个人。如果一个人不愿意，再多的政府举措也无法强迫其做出有益的选择。在我作为胡志明市一家连锁咖啡品牌运营主管的经历中，这一点在个人层面表现得尤为痛切。两年前，一次常规体检显示我有轻度脂肪肝和血脂升高，这直接源于我久坐的办公室工作，以及几乎每天晚上关店后都点油炸外卖的习惯。只有当我坚持每天傍晚沿家附近改造后的绍儿运河步道慢跑——起初很难坚持，但后来通过和一位同事把它变成一种固定仪式而坚持了下来——并把每周点外卖的次数从六次减少到两次之后，我才看到了实实在在的改善。八个月后，我的脂肪肝消失了，血脂恢复正常，体重也减轻了七公斤——这些没有任何政府政策能替我做到。

In conclusion, while governmental strategies are indispensable for creating an environment conducive to health, they are not a panacea. Responsibility ultimately remains with individuals to engage with these provisions and make conscious decisions that prioritise their own well-being. Only a concerted effort from both government and citizens can reverse the worrying rise in youth obesity.总之，虽然政府的策略对于营造有利于健康的环境不可或缺，但它们并非万能之策。归根结底，责任仍在于个人，需要积极利用这些政策，并做出优先考虑自身健康的自觉决定。唯有政府与民众的共同努力，才能扭转青少年肥胖问题日益严重的令人担忧的趋势。