The 5th national survey on the physical growth and development of children in the nine cities of China: Anthropometric measurements of Chinese children under 7years in 2015.

Abstract

To describe the physical growth of healthy children under 7years in China based on the latest national survey and provide more data for revising growth reference and monitoring the impact of social development on children's health and growth. In the cross-sectional survey, 161,774 healthy children under 7years were selected by multistage stratified cluster sampling method in nine cities of China. According to the geographical location, the nine cities were divided into northern, central and southern regions, and each city included urban and suburban areas. Anthropometric measurements were obtained on the spots and other related information was collected with questionnaires. There were slight urban-suburban difference and obvious regional difference in anthropometric measurements in China. Comparison with the 4th NSPGDC in 2005, measurements increased 0.1-1.1kg in weight, 0.5-1.8cm in height in urban areas (except children under 3years) and 0.1-2.5kg in weight, 0.2-3.8cm in height in suburban areas. The urban-suburban difference of those measurements became smaller than 10years ago, but their regional difference persistently exist. Chinese children were 0.36 SD in weight, 0.43 SD in height in urban areas and 0.30 SD in weight, 0.30 SD in height in suburban areas higher than WHO standards. Physical growth of children under 7years old was undergoing a slowly positive secular trend during the latest decade in more economically developed regions of China. Urban-suburban difference of those measurements became smaller, while their regional difference persistently exist. Chinese healthy children under 7years in nine cities was taller and heavier than WHO standards.