Nutritional status of mong ethnic children under 5 years old in 5 communes of Lao Cai province in 2025

Abstract

A cross-sectional descriptive study conducted on 778 Mong children under 5 years old in 5 communes of Lao Cai province revealed that the prevalence of stunting, underweight, wasting, and overweight/obesity among children were 58,4%, 31,7%, 5,9%, and 2,4%, respectively. The rate of severe stunting was significantly higher in boys than in girls (24,7% vs. 18,8%; p<0,05). The 1-year-old age group exhibited the highest prevalence of severe stunting (29,9%), followed by the 2-year-old group (26,7%), with statistically significant differences in malnutrition rates across age groups (p<0,001). Malnutrition was concentrated primarily among poor/near-poor households (61,3% stunting), with variations across communes, peaking in Hanh Phuc (68,2%) and Lao Chai (66,3%). Given the alarmingly high rates of malnutrition, particularly stunting, among Mong children under 5, it is essential to prioritise nutritional intervention resources targeting poor households and impoverished communes.