The 29-year-old information technology employee at a company in Hanoi follows this routine every day, monday to saturday. At noon, despite the company offering a 90-minute break, he orders food to eat at his desk, finishing in under 10 minutes to "handle the remaining task before the afternoon meeting".

From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., he rarely leaves his chair. In the evening, after opening his laptop for a few more hours, the young man scrolls on his phone until 1 a.m. before sleeping. The next morning, he drinks two to three cups of coffee to stay awake.

After two years of this routine, his regular health check-up revealed high blood fat, elevated liver enzymes, and pre-diabetes. The doctor warned that if he did not adjust his lifestyle, Tien would develop metabolic disorders in the near future.

Huong, 26 years old, a communications professional in TP HCM, also frequently works until 2 a.m. The next morning, she quickly eats a package of sticky rice and a cup of iced milk coffee before heading straight into a meeting. At lunch, when colleagues invite her to the canteen, she shakes her head, saying, "I'll eat quickly up here to finish".

In the evening, her meal is a bowl of instant noodles or fried chicken ordered via an app - often oily, with few vegetables, and quick to prepare. Afterward, she opens her computer again. Once work is done, she spends almost one hour scrolling on her phone, feeling like "I haven't had time for myself all day", then sleeps at 1 a.m.

In two years, Tien gained almost 10 kg, and his blood fat and liver enzymes increased. *Photo: Provided by subject*

One weekend morning, she stood in front of the mirror and noticed her dull skin, dark undereyes, and clothes that were tighter than last year. "I haven't eaten more", she told herself. Gradually, Huong experienced persistent neck and shoulder pain, irritability, weight gain, belly fat, and unexplained fatigue.

Doctor Doan Du Manh, of the Vietnam Vascular Association, states that fast eating, prolonged sitting, and sleep deprivation are three "destructive" habits silently harming the health of office workers. According to a 2023 survey by the National Institute of Nutrition, over 57% of workers in major Vietnamese cities consume main meals in under 15 minutes.

The proportion of physically inactive adults is alarming. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies Vietnam among Southeast Asian countries with the highest rates of insufficient physical activity, with almost 30% of the adult population.

Regarding sleep, a 2022 study by Hanoi Medical University revealed that nearly 44% of office workers in Hanoi and TP HCM sleep less than 6 hours per night on weekdays. For the 22 to 35 age group, this figure rises to over 51%.

When eating too quickly, the brain needs up to 20 minutes to receive satiety signals from the stomach—a period long enough for people to overeat unknowingly. Associate Professor, Doctor Nguyen Trong Hung, of the National Institute of Nutrition, explains that this habit not only causes bloating, reflux, and stomach pain but also promotes metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease when combined with a diet high in fat and sugar.

Remaining sedentary for many hours exacerbates these harmful effects. Physical activity stimulates muscles to release lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that breaks down fats and regulates blood sugar. When the body spends most of the day sitting still, this enzyme's levels sharply decline, and visceral fat gradually accumulates month by month.

A 2012 meta-analysis published in the journal Diabetologia, which tracked almost 800,000 individuals, found that the group with the most sedentary behavior had a 112% higher risk of type 2 diabetes and a 147% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease compared to the least sedentary group, regardless of exercise time. In other words, one hour of gym time in the evening is insufficient to compensate for 8 hours of inactivity during the day.

Doctor Manh further warns that continuous prolonged sitting for many hours causes blood to pool in the lower limbs, leading to varicose veins. In individuals with additional risk factors like obesity or a history of blood clotting disorders, this condition can progress to deep vein thrombosis, a life-threatening complication.

Sleep is the third link in this chain and where the negative spiral accelerates most clearly. Sleep deprivation increases ghrelin (a hunger-stimulating hormone) and decreases leptin (a satiety hormone), leading to increased food cravings, especially for sweets and carbohydrates, even when the body does not truly need energy.

A 2004 University of Chicago study directly measured human subjects, showing that just two days of 4 hours of sleep increased ghrelin levels by 28% and decreased leptin by 18%. Associate Professor, Doctor Nguyen Anh Tuan, Head of the Gastrointestinal Surgery Department at Military Central Hospital 108, notes that chronic late-night hours also make the body use blood sugar less efficiently, gradually setting the stage for type 2 diabetes.

Lack of sleep increases cortisol, which stimulates sebaceous glands and causes inflammatory acne. Simultaneously, growth hormone, primarily secreted during deep sleep, sharply declines with continuous late nights, leading to a slower rate of collagen synthesis and premature skin aging. Furthermore, chronic circadian rhythm disruption is a factor contributing to anxiety and depression, mental health issues rapidly increasing among young urban Vietnamese.

Experts recommend gradually improving this lifestyle through various methods. For example: week one, focus solely on eating 5 minutes slower per meal. Week two: set an alarm to remind you to stand up after every 30-60 minutes of sitting. Week three: go to bed 15-30 minutes earlier each night. Week four: maintain all three habits simultaneously.

For those with fast eating habits, dedicate at least 20 minutes to each main meal, chewing each bite about 20-30 times before swallowing. Put down your spoon or chopsticks after a few bites to slow your eating pace, and avoid eating while scrolling on your phone or working.

For individuals who sit a lot, apply the 30-3 rule: for every 30 minutes of sitting, stand up and walk or move for 3 minutes. If you work in an office, take advantage of opportunities to get water or use the stairs instead of the elevator. Each week, maintain at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, combined with two strength training sessions.

Staying up late and sleeping little are increasingly common among young people. *Photo: Hoang Minh*

Establish a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends. Stop using your phone and computer about 30-60 minutes before bed, and avoid drinking coffee, strong tea, or energy drinks after 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Your bedroom should be dark, quiet, and cool.

Tien still works on the 15th floor. He still drinks coffee every morning, has meetings starting at 9 a.m., and some weeks are filled with deadlines. But since that health check-up, he has started eating lunch with colleagues instead of alone in front of his screen.

"It took me two years to realize that those 15 minutes of lunch weren't wasted time", he says. "That's the only time of day I truly stop".

Thuy Quynh