Vietnam National Nutrition Strategy

Vietnam's National Nutrition Strategy for 2021 to 2030, with a vision extending to 2045, was ratified by the Prime Minister to guide the country's response to what nutrition experts describe as a triple burden of malnutrition: persistent undernutrition in the form of child stunting and wasting, ongoing micronutrient deficiencies, and a rising rate of overweight and obesity occurring within the same population. The strategy sets specific targets across each of these fronts, and a mid-strategy assessment found Vietnam on track to meet its undernutrition targets for stunting and wasting and its target for exclusive breastfeeding, with 45.4 percent of infants aged zero to five months exclusively breastfed, while progress toward its targets on overweight, obesity and micronutrient status was found to be lagging and requiring more focused attention in the years ahead. To close these gaps the strategy calls for strengthened nutrition policy, closer collaboration across government sectors, and expanded nutrition communication and education, treating public awareness and behavior change as central tools for improving the country's nutritional status alongside direct health interventions.