Peer-reviewed article
Prevalence of and Socio-Demographic Factors of Malnutrition Among Vietnamese Children and Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Hoang NTD, Hoang NTT, Tran DT, Le HA, Le TD et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study measured the nutritional status of 3,055 Vietnamese children aged 5–19 years across selected provinces. About one in ten children were stunted or underweight, while 14.5% were overweight or obese, and overall 36.5% experienced some form of malnutrition. Malnutrition was linked to age, ethnicity, and household wealth, with stunting more common in older children from poorer families and obesity more common in wealthier ones. The findings show Vietnam faces a dual burden of both undernutrition and overweight affecting different groups.
Key points
- Stunting and thinness/underweight each affected around 10% of children aged 5–19
- Overweight and obesity affected 14.5% of the sample
- Overall malnutrition prevalence was 36.5%, with 19.7% experiencing at least one form of undernutrition
- Stunting was more prevalent among older children and those from lower-income households
- Overweight and obesity were more common in wealthier families
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional and does not establish causation, only association. It provides prevalence data for selected provinces in Vietnam but may not represent all regions or the entire country.
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Limited data exist on the nutritional status of Vietnamese children aged 5 years and older. This study aimed to (1) determine the nutritional status and (2) assess the associations between malnutrition and socio-demographic factors among children and adolescents aged 5-19 years old in selected provinces in Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 3055 children aged 5-19 years old. Children's weight and height were collected to calculate BMI for Age Z-score and Height for Age Z-score to determine the prevalence of overweight/obesity, stunting, thinness/underweight, stunted-overweight, stunted-underweight, at least one type of undernutrition, and at least one type of malnutrition. Results: The prevalence of stunting and thinness/underweight was around 10%, overweight and obesity was 14.5%, while the prevalence of malnutrition was 36.5%, with 19.7% of children experiencing at least one form of undernutrition. Significant associations were found between malnutrition and socio-demographic factors such as age, ethnicity, and the number of household possessions. Stunting was more prevalent among older children and those from lower-income households, whereas overweight and obesity were more common in wealthier families. Conclusions: These novel findings highlight the need for targeted interventions addressing both undernutrition and obesity in Vietnam's diverse demographic groups.