Average Height in Vietnam (2026 Data)

Average Height in Vietnam: Men and Women

Adult height in Vietnam reflects decades of genetics, childhood nutrition, healthcare access, and living conditions. The most recent national health surveys provide the best estimates for current average stature among adults.

For men, the population mean is about 168 cm (5'6"); for women, about 156 cm (5'1"). These figures represent adults aged 18 and older and are typically measured barefoot in health surveys.

Height varies by region, ethnicity, and birth cohort within Vietnam. The averages below describe the national picture; individual heights span a wide range above and below these means.

How Vietnam Compares to the World and the US

Globally, the approximate mean adult height is about 171 cm (5'7") for men and 159 cm (5'2.5") for women, based on NCD-RisC pooled estimates. Compared to this, Vietnamese men are 3 cm shorter and women are 3 cm shorter.

The United States averages about 175 cm (5'9") for men and 162 cm (5'4") for women (CDC/NHANES). Vietnamese men are 7 cm shorter than US men on average; Vietnamese women are 6 cm shorter than US women.

Vietnam's position relative to global and US averages reflects its Kinh ethnic majority population combined with a historically rice-based diet, though rapid economic growth is improving nutrition and heights are rising quickly among younger cohorts.

Why Heights Differ: Genetics, Nutrition, and Trends

Height is roughly 80% genetic and 20% environmental, but nutrition in the first years of life matters enormously at the population level. Vietnam's average stature is shaped by Kinh ethnic majority genetics and a traditionally rice-based diet that, while calorie-sufficient, was historically lower in animal protein and dairy.

Vietnam has experienced rapid economic growth since the Doi Moi reforms, and childhood nutrition has improved dramatically. Average heights among young Vietnamese adults are rising at one of the fastest rates in Southeast Asia, with gains of 2–3 cm per decade observed in recent cohorts.

Comparing your personal height to Vietnam's average is informative, but percentile rankings depend on which reference population you use. Our calculator compares against US CDC/NHANES data, which may differ from Vietnam's national distribution.

Data source: NCD-RisC pooled estimates and Vietnam National Institute of Nutrition data. For US percentile comparisons, see our methodology page.