Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Viet Nam
Viet Nam: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 9.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Viet Nam, 1988–2023
Source: UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'. Measured in % of children under 5.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Viet Nam is 9.7%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 27 years on record.
The figure is down 4.9% on the previous year and down 36.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Viet Nam peaked at 40.7% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 9.7%, in 2023.
Viet Nam 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.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Viet Nam, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 40.7% | — |
| 1993 | 36.6% | -10.1% |
| 1994 | 40.6% | +10.9% |
| 1998 | 35.8% | -11.8% |
| 1999 | 31.1% | -13.1% |
| 2000 | 26.6% | -14.5% |
| 2002 | 23.3% | -12.4% |
| 2003 | 24.6% | +5.6% |
| 2004 | 23.6% | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 22.8% | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 21.9% | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 21.6% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 20.5% | -5.1% |
| 2009 | 17.5% | -14.6% |
| 2010 | 11.7% | -33.1% |
| 2011 | 16.8% | +43.6% |
| 2012 | 16.2% | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 15.3% | -5.6% |
| 2014 | 14.5% | -5.2% |
| 2015 | 14.1% | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 13.8% | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 13.4% | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 12.8% | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 12.2% | -4.7% |
| 2020 | 11.6% | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 10.2% | -12.1% |
| 2023 | 9.7% | -4.9% |
Viet Nam compared with similar countries
- Viet Nam's 9.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.0%, 2.4× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Viet Nam's 9.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 15.3%, 63% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Viet Nam changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +43.6% | 11.7% | 16.8% |
| 2010 | -33.1% | 17.5% | 11.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 40.7% | 40.7% | 40.7% | 1 |
| 1990s | 36.0% | 31.1% | 40.6% | 4 |
| 2000s | 22.5% | 17.5% | 26.6% | 9 |
| 2010s | 14.1% | 11.7% | 16.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.5% | 9.7% | 11.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Viet Nam
More health data for Viet Nam
- 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 prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Viet Nam?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Viet Nam was 9.7% in 2023, according to UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'.
- What is the highest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Viet Nam?
- The highest recorded value was 40.7% in 1988.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Viet Nam?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.7% in 2023.
- How does Viet Nam rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Viet Nam ranks 49th out of 96 countries with data for 2023.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Viet Nam?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Viet Nam data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children', published as part of Prevalence of underweight, weight for age (% of children under 5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of underweight children is the percentage of children under age 5 whose weight for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months. The data are based on the WHO's 2006 Child Growth Standards.