Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting) in Vietnam
Vietnam: Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting) was 18.2 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
18.2
Change on year
down 3.7%
World rank
49th
of 96 countries
All-time high
61.48
in 1993
All-time low
18.2
in 2023
Years of data
27
1988–2023
Height-for-age <-2 SD in Vietnam, 1988–2023
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Vietnam recorded 18.2 for height-for-age <-2 sd in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 27 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 29.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, height-for-age <-2 sd in Vietnam peaked at 61.48 in 1993 and was at its lowest, 18.2, in 2023.
Vietnam ranks 49th of 96 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 27 years of available data.
Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting) in Vietnam, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 61.3 | — |
| 1993 | 61.48 | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 52.5 | -14.6% |
| 1998 | 42.1 | -19.8% |
| 1999 | 43.79 | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 42.87 | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 37.5 | -12.5% |
| 2003 | 35.44 | -5.5% |
| 2004 | 33.67 | -5.0% |
| 2005 | 33.35 | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 31.74 | -4.8% |
| 2007 | 31.73 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 30.81 | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 29.3 | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 22.66 | -22.7% |
| 2011 | 27.5 | +21.3% |
| 2012 | 26.7 | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 25.9 | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 24.9 | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 24.6 | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 24.3 | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 23.8 | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 23.2 | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 22.4 | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 19.5 | -12.9% |
| 2022 | 18.9 | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 18.2 | -3.7% |
Vietnam compared with similar countries
- Vietnam's 18.2 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10.5, 1.7× the median. (27 countries reporting)
- Vietnam's 18.2 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 21.2, 86% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 61.3 | 61.3 | 61.3 | 1 |
| 1990s | 49.97 | 42.1 | 61.48 | 4 |
| 2000s | 34.04 | 29.3 | 42.87 | 9 |
| 2010s | 24.6 | 22.4 | 27.5 | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.87 | 18.2 | 19.5 | 3 |
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 3,132 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0357 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is height-for-age <-2 sd in Vietnam?
- Height-for-age <-2 sd in Vietnam was 18.2 in 2023, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest height-for-age <-2 sd recorded in Vietnam?
- The highest recorded value was 61.48 in 1993.
- What is the lowest height-for-age <-2 sd recorded in Vietnam?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.2 in 2023.
- How does Vietnam rank for height-for-age <-2 sd?
- Vietnam ranks 49th out of 96 countries with data for 2023.
- Is height-for-age <-2 sd rising or falling in Vietnam?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Vietnam data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).