Trade liberalization and nutrition transition: how export influences households’ macronutrient consumption in Vietnam

Thang T. Vo (), Phu-Duyen T. Tran (), Dinh X. Nguyen () and Thiet-Ha Truong ()
Additional contact information
Thang T. Vo: College of Economics, Law and Government, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City
Phu-Duyen T. Tran: College of Economics, Law and Government, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City
Dinh X. Nguyen: College of Economics, Law and Government, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City
Thiet-Ha Truong: College of Economics, Law and Government, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City

Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, 2025, vol. 17, issue 4, No 7, 905-933

Abstract: Abstract This study investigates the impact of trade liberalization on the nutrition transition within Vietnamese households from 2002 to 2020. Trade liberalization is quantified using two indices that reflect employment opportunities generated by reductions in export tariffs and increased export volumes. Nutritional outcomes are assessed through calorie intake and macronutrient consumption from both at-home and out-of-home meals, using data from the Vietnam Household Living Standards Survey (VHLSS). We measure nutrition transition by the distance between households’ dietary compositions and established nutritional guidelines. Our findings indicate that trade liberalization influences household eating behaviors, shifting preferences from home-cooked meals to dining out, as evidenced by increased household intake of energy, protein (P), fat (F), and carbohydrates (C) from out-of-home meals. Additionally, reductions in export tariffs and the expansion export volumes facilitate a transition toward more balanced diets in Vietnam, demonstrated by a decreased deviation of the P: L: C ratio from the recommended dietary allowances. Policy implications of this research call for integrating trade and health policies to improve food security and implementing food policies that regulate prices and availability to promote balanced diets.

Keywords: Trade liberalization; Export; Tariff; Nutrition transition; Eating out of home; Equivalence scales; Vietnam (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12571-025-01555-3 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:17:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1007_s12571-025-01555-3

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer. ... ulture/journal/12571

DOI: 10.1007/s12571-025-01555-3

Access Statistics for this article

Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food is currently edited by R.N. Strange

More articles in Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food from Springer, The International Society for Plant Pathology
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().