Objective: To assess the nutritional status of children under five years of age and describe maternal childcare practices and picky eating among children attending the Nutrition Counseling Clinic at Thu Cuc International General Hospital (TCI).
Subjects and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 206 mother–child pairs attending the Department of Nutrition. Children underwent anthropometric measurements, and mothers were interviewed using a questionnaire on breastfeeding, complementary feeding, dietary diversity, and picky eating.
Results: The prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting was 10.7%, 8.7%, and 4.4%, respectively, while the prevalence of overweight was 1.0%. Concurrent underweight and stunting was the most common form of concurrent malnutrition, accounting for 4.9%. The prevalence of malnutrition tended to increase across age groups (p < 0.05). Overall, 28.4% of children were breastfed within the first hour after birth, 60.1% were exclusively breastfed during the first six months of life, 75.3% received complementary foods at the appropriate age (6–8 months), and 60.7% were picky eaters.
Conclusion: Stunting was at a high level, underweight at a medium level, and wasting at a low level. Maternal childcare practices remained limited, while the prevalence of picky eating was high. Timely nutritional assessment, counseling, and intervention are needed for children.