Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Vietnam
Vietnam: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 20.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Vietnam, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Vietnam stood at 20.2%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.2% on the previous year and up 103.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Vietnam peaked at 20.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1980.
That places Vietnam 125th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Vietnam, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.4% | — |
| 1981 | 0.5% | +4.1% |
| 1982 | 0.5% | +4.5% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | +5.1% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | +5.4% |
| 1985 | 0.6% | +5.7% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | +6.0% |
| 1987 | 0.6% | +6.3% |
| 1988 | 0.7% | +6.6% |
| 1989 | 0.7% | +7.1% |
| 1990 | 0.8% | +7.6% |
| 1991 | 0.8% | +7.9% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | +8.3% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | +8.7% |
| 1994 | 1.1% | +9.3% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | +9.9% |
| 1996 | 1.3% | +10.6% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | +11.2% |
| 1998 | 1.6% | +11.5% |
| 1999 | 1.8% | +11.8% |
| 2000 | 2.0% | +11.9% |
| 2001 | 2.3% | +12.2% |
| 2002 | 2.5% | +12.4% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | +12.7% |
| 2004 | 3.2% | +12.6% |
| 2005 | 3.6% | +12.6% |
| 2006 | 4.1% | +12.6% |
| 2007 | 4.6% | +12.4% |
| 2008 | 5.1% | +12.1% |
| 2009 | 5.8% | +12.1% |
| 2010 | 6.5% | +11.9% |
| 2011 | 7.2% | +11.8% |
| 2012 | 8.1% | +11.7% |
| 2013 | 9.0% | +11.4% |
| 2014 | 9.9% | +10.6% |
| 2015 | 10.9% | +9.6% |
| 2016 | 11.9% | +9.3% |
| 2017 | 13.0% | +9.2% |
| 2018 | 14.1% | +8.5% |
| 2019 | 15.2% | +7.5% |
| 2020 | 16.2% | +7.1% |
| 2021 | 17.3% | +6.5% |
| 2022 | 18.3% | +5.6% |
| 2023 | 19.2% | +5.2% |
| 2024 | 20.2% | +5.2% |
Vietnam compared with similar countries
- Vietnam's 20.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.8%, 68% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Vietnam's 20.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 29.5%, 68% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.2% | 0.8% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.6% | 2.0% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.6% | 6.5% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.2% | 16.2% | 20.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Vietnam
More health data for Vietnam
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0536 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,306 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,132 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 27 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0322 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Vietnam?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Vietnam was 20.2% in 2024, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Vietnam?
- The highest recorded value was 20.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Vietnam?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1980.
- How does Vietnam rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Vietnam ranks 125th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Vietnam?
- Over the last ten years it is up 103.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Vietnam data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 years old that are defined as either overweight or obese. This means their weight-for-height is more than one standard deviations from the median of the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards.