Abstract Background The double burden of malnutrition is increasingly evident in low- and middle-income countries; however, data on ethnic minority children (Khmer, Cham, and Hoa) in Vietnam remain scarce, possibly due to underrepresentation in surveillance, dietary transition, and limited access to health services. Methods This community-based cross-sectional study involved 714 ethnic minority children aged 5–16 years in Tra Vinh province, Vietnam, with anthropometry, body composition (InBody 270), and dietary factors assessed using standard protocols. Results The prevalence of stunting, thinness, and overweight/obesity was 6.3%, 22.6%, and 16.4%, respectively. Stunting was associated with paternal primary education (adjusted odds ratios AOR = 2.79, 95% confidence intervals CI: 1.20–6.47) and breakfast skipping (AOR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.07–4.09). Thinness was associated with household poverty (AOR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.14–2.66) but inversely with nutrition knowledge (AOR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.90–0.99). Overweight/obesity was associated with age 5–10 years (AOR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.06–2.44) and higher Non-Communicable Disease (NCD)-Protect dietary scores (reflecting consumption of foods protective against non-communicable diseases) (AOR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.02–1.23). Many children with normal nutritional status showed substantial body composition abnormalities. Conclusions Ethnic minority children experience a substantial double burden of malnutrition, and abnormal body composition among those with normal anthropometry highlights limitations of conventional nutrition monitoring.
Bui et al. (Fri,) studied this question.