Crisis Alert: Approximately 40% of Vietnamese Adolescents Are Struggling with Malnutrition

Background/Objectives: Vietnam has limited information on the nutritional status of children aged ≥5 years. 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 in selected provinces in Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 3,055 children aged 5-19 years. 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%, at least one type of undernutrition was 19.7%, and at least one type of malnutrition was 36.5%. Significant associations were found between malnutrition and socio-demographic factors such as age, ethnicity, and the number of household possessions. Older children and those from less affluent households were more prone to stunting, while children from wealthier families were at a higher risk of overweight and obesity. Conclusions: This study can guide strategies to address the dual burden of malnutrition among Vietnamese children requiring interventions that consider diverse demographic needs.