Malnutrition increases the time of treatment, the incidence of complication and mortality in children. However, assessment of the child’s nutritional status in the hospitals is not received attention and evaluated routinely as in the community. For the purpose of increasing more attention on evaluation of nutritional status of all outpatients or inpatients receiving hospital treatment, we have reviewed 5 studies of assessment of nutritional status of different subjects, at different points of time. Design: Cross - sectional studies. Setting: The Children’s Hospital Number One, Ho Chi Minh City and 20 hospitals in Southern Viet Nam. Result: Underweight (W/A): 1997, inpatients at The Children Hospital Number One: 47%; 2001 inpatients at 20 hospitals in Southern Viet Nam: 40.2%; and 2003: 35.6%; Outpatients at The Children’s Hospital Number One, 2006: 13%; Inpatients with acute illness at The Children’s Hospital Number One, 2007: 17.5%. Stunting (H/A): inpatients at 20 hospitals in Southern Viet Nam: 31% (2001) and 27.5% (2003); outpatients at The Children’s Hospital Number One, 2006: 9,8%; inpatients with acute illness at The Children’s Hospital Number One, 2007: 11.6%. Wasting (W/H): inpatients at 20 hospitals in Southern Viet Nam: 24.7% (2001) and 28.4% (2003); outpatients at The Children’s Hospital Number One, 2006: 5.2%; inpatients with acute illness at The Children’s Hospital Number One, 2007: 9.3%. Nutritional status and risk factors: Underweight was significantly associated with a wider range of factors, including: severe illness, chronic diseases, gastroenterological disease, premature and intrauterine growth retardation, children living in rural communities, 6th – 24th of age, mother education below primary school, occupation of mothers (farmers, workers) and mother’s nutritional knowledge (incorrect breastfeeding, weaning before 4th or after 6th month of age, inappropriate weaning food, inadequate energy weaning food).