{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T19:51:00Z","timestamp":1792612260029,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1792540800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":20,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790812800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Maternal &amp;amp; Child Nutrition"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Despite progress in improving nutritional status in Vietnam, persistent disparities among ethnic minority populations and children in poor districts remain, underscoring the need for context\u2010specific evidence to inform equitable nutrition policies. This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of malnutrition among children under 6 years of age in poor districts of Vietnam. A cross\u2010sectional study was conducted among 7747 children aged 0\u201371 months and their mothers from ten poor districts selected through multistage random sampling. Anthropometric measurements and nutritional status were classified following WHO protocols. Survey\u2010adjusted logistic regression accounting for clustering by district and commune examined factors associated with stunting, underweight, wasting, and overweight. Nearly half of households were classified as poor (48.8%), and access to improved water and sanitation was limited. Ethnic minorities comprised 92.3% of participants, namely Hmong, Dao, Thai, and Ra Glai. The prevalence of stunting, underweight, wasting, and overweight was 40.1%, 21.4%, 5.7%, and 3.0%, respectively, with stunting exceeding high public\u2010health\u2010significance thresholds in all 10 districts. Substantial ethnic disparities were observed, with Hmong (aOR\u2009=\u20092.74) and Ra Glai (aOR\u2009=\u20092.11) children showing markedly higher odds of stunting than Kinh children, and Ra Glai children uniquely at higher risk of wasting (aOR\u2009=\u20093.27) and coexistence of stunting\u2010wasting (aOR\u2009=\u20098.47). Fewer than four antenatal care visits, low birthweight (&lt;\u20092500\u2009g), male sex, and older age were independently associated with higher odds of stunting and\/or underweight, while birthweight \u2265\u20093000\u2009g was protective. Child undernutrition remains highly prevalent in Vietnam's poor districts and is marked by persistent ethnic, geographic, and biological disparities, underscoring the need for targeted, equity\u2010focused nutrition interventions in this population.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1111\/mcn.70264","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T19:32:26Z","timestamp":1792611146000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Socioeconomic and Ethnic Disparities in Malnutrition Among Children Under Six Years of Age in Vietnam's Poor Districts"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"22","author":[{"given":"Tu S.","family":"Nguyen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Planning National Institute of Nutrition  Hanoi Vietnam"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0737-430X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tuan T.","family":"Nguyen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Health Sciences VinUniversity  Hanoi Vietnam"},{"name":"Innovations in Health Sciences VinUniversity  Hanoi Vietnam"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bac H.","family":"Nguyen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Planning National Institute of Nutrition  Hanoi Vietnam"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Linh N. P.","family":"Hoang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of School and Occupational Nutrition National Institute of Nutrition  Hanoi Vietnam"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Truong H.","family":"Nguyen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Directorial Office, National Institute of Nutrition  Hanoi Vietnam"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2321-9454","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anh N. P.","family":"Hoang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Practice School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University Melbourne Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9883-3283","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Phuong N.","family":"Huynh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Scientific Management Division, National Institute of Nutrition  Hanoi Vietnam"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Thao T.","family":"Nguyen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Chemistry and Life Sciences Hanoi University of Science and Technology  Hanoi Vietnam"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Duong T.","family":"Tran","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Directorial Office, National Institute of Nutrition  Hanoi Vietnam"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_11_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/mcn.12826"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2019-034812"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-017-4033-1"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_5_1","volume-title":"Disparities and Multidimensional Child Poverty among Ethnic Minority Populations in Viet Nam: Evidence From the 2024 Survey on the Socio\u2010economic Situation of 53 Ethnic Minorities","author":"GSO and UNICEF","year":"2025"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/archdischild-2014-306328"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12571-021-01183-7"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4236\/fns.2013.41012"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmed.1004421"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3945\/jn.114.191981"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1596\/978-1-4648-1432-7","volume-title":"Persistent Malnutrition in Ethnic Minority Communities of Vietnam: Issues and Options for Policy and interventions","author":"Mbuya N. V. N.","year":"2019"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-023-06501-x"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-024-18419-8"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_14_1","unstructured":"National Assembly of Vietnam.2025. Resolution No. 257\/2025\/QH15 Approving the Investment Policy for the National Target Program on New Rural Development Sustainable Poverty Reduction and Socio\u2010economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas 2026\u20132035.https:\/\/thuvienphapluat.vn\/phap-luat\/toan-van-nghi-quyet-2572025qh15-ve-xay-dung-nong-thon-moi-giam-ngheo-va-phat-trien-vung-dan-toc-thi-247328.html."},{"key":"e_1_2_11_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12571-025-01580-2"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/jn\/nxab182"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10668-020-01221-y"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fnut.2023.1277804"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12884-016-0995-8"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_20_1","volume-title":"Findings of General Nutrition Survey 2019\u20102020","author":"NIN","year":"2023"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_21_1","unstructured":"Prime Minister of Vietnam.2021. Decision No. 1719\/QD\u2010TTg Approving the National Target Program on Socio\u2010economic Development in Ethnic Minority\u2010inhabited and Mountainous Areas in the 2021\u20102030 Period Phase I: From 2021 to 2025.https:\/\/vanban.chinhphu.vn\/?pageid=27160&docid=204285."},{"key":"e_1_2_11_22_1","unstructured":"Prime Minister of Vietnam.2022a. Decision 02\/QD\u2010TTg Approving National Nutrition Strategy for the 2021\u20132030 Period With a Vision to 2045.https:\/\/vanban.chinhphu.vn\/?docid=204983&pageid=27160."},{"key":"e_1_2_11_23_1","unstructured":"Prime Minister of Vietnam.2022b. Decision No. 263\/QD\u2010TTg Approving the National Target Program for New Rural Development 2021\u20132025.https:\/\/vanban.chinhphu.vn\/?pageid=27160&docid=205378."},{"key":"e_1_2_11_24_1","unstructured":"Prime Minister of Vietnam.2022c. Decision No. 90\/QD\u2010TTg Approving the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction 2021\u20132025.https:\/\/vanban.chinhphu.vn\/?pageid=27160&docid=205180."},{"key":"e_1_2_11_25_1","unstructured":"Prime Minister of Vietnam.2022d. Decision No. 353\/QD\u2010TTg Approving the List of Poor Districts and Communes With Special Difficulties in Lowland Coastal Areas Coastal Areas and Islands for the 2021\u20132025 period.https:\/\/vanban.chinhphu.vn\/?docid=205492&pageid=27160."},{"key":"e_1_2_11_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjph-2024-001177"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4162\/nrp.2022.16.5.658"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_28_1","volume-title":"Nutrition in the Mountains of Viet Nam","author":"UNICEF","year":"2015"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_29_1","unstructured":"UNICEF.2019. The State of the World's Children 2019: Children Food and Nutrition: Growing Well in a Changing World.https:\/\/www.unicef.org\/reports\/state-of-worlds-children-2019."},{"key":"e_1_2_11_30_1","volume-title":"Levels and Trends in Child Malnutrition: UNICEF\/WHO\/World Bank Group Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates: Key Findings of the 2023 Edition","author":"WHO, UNICEF, and WB","year":"2023"}],"container-title":["Maternal &amp; Child Nutrition"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/mcn.70264","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1111\/mcn.70264","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/mcn.70264","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T19:32:28Z","timestamp":1792611148000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/mcn.70264"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10]]},"references-count":29,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1111\/mcn.70264"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/mcn.70264","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["1740-8695","1740-8709"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1740-8695","type":"print"},{"value":"1740-8709","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2026-03-04","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-09-16","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-10-21","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"e70264"}}