Secular trends in weight, height and weight for height among children under 7 years in nine cities of China, 1975–2015: results from five repeated cross-sectional surveys

Objective To analyse the secular trends in mean value and distribution of weight, height and weight for height in children under 7 years in developed regions in China.Design Five repeated cross-sectional surveys were conducted using the same methods at the same sites during 1975–2015.Setting Nine ci...

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Main Authors: Ya Qin Zhang, Hua Hong Wu, Xin Nan Zong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2019-10-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e029201.full
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author Ya Qin Zhang
Hua Hong Wu
Xin Nan Zong
author_facet Ya Qin Zhang
Hua Hong Wu
Xin Nan Zong
author_sort Ya Qin Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Objective To analyse the secular trends in mean value and distribution of weight, height and weight for height in children under 7 years in developed regions in China.Design Five repeated cross-sectional surveys were conducted using the same methods at the same sites during 1975–2015.Setting Nine cities in northern, central and southern regions of China.Population Healthy children under 7 years; the sample sizes were 94 496 in 1975, 79 177 in 1985, 79 152 in 1995, 69 760 in 2005 and 83 583 in 2015.Main outcome measures Weight and height were measured by the same methods in the five surveys.Results The increasing trends in the mean value of weight, height and weight for height were observed and their distribution was found to have shifted upwards. There were unbalanced increments in various centiles and the relative increments in the 3rd centile of height for children under 7 years were larger than those in the 50th and 97th centiles. Although the relative increments in the 3rd centile of weight for children under 2 years were larger than those in the 50th and 97th centiles, the increments in the 97th centile for children older than 2 years became the largest compared with other centiles. The changes in each centile of weight for height were similar with those of weight. The annual increments of height and weight increased over time and were more significant between birth and 2 years of age for height and between ages 4 years and 6 years for weight. The per-decade increments in 1975–1985, 1985–1995 and 1995–2005 became larger, while those in 2005–2015 slowed down.Conclusions The rapid increasing trends of weight, height and weight for height had slowed down since 2005 in developed regions of China. The relative increments in the low centile of height were more significant, while the high centile of weight and weight for height increased more significantly in older children.
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spelling doaj-art-eb12990a33344300a83220017ba98ade2025-08-20T02:38:51ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-10-0191010.1136/bmjopen-2019-029201Secular trends in weight, height and weight for height among children under 7 years in nine cities of China, 1975–2015: results from five repeated cross-sectional surveysYa Qin Zhang0Hua Hong Wu1Xin Nan Zong2Department of Growth and Development, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Growth and Development, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Growth and Development, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, ChinaObjective To analyse the secular trends in mean value and distribution of weight, height and weight for height in children under 7 years in developed regions in China.Design Five repeated cross-sectional surveys were conducted using the same methods at the same sites during 1975–2015.Setting Nine cities in northern, central and southern regions of China.Population Healthy children under 7 years; the sample sizes were 94 496 in 1975, 79 177 in 1985, 79 152 in 1995, 69 760 in 2005 and 83 583 in 2015.Main outcome measures Weight and height were measured by the same methods in the five surveys.Results The increasing trends in the mean value of weight, height and weight for height were observed and their distribution was found to have shifted upwards. There were unbalanced increments in various centiles and the relative increments in the 3rd centile of height for children under 7 years were larger than those in the 50th and 97th centiles. Although the relative increments in the 3rd centile of weight for children under 2 years were larger than those in the 50th and 97th centiles, the increments in the 97th centile for children older than 2 years became the largest compared with other centiles. The changes in each centile of weight for height were similar with those of weight. The annual increments of height and weight increased over time and were more significant between birth and 2 years of age for height and between ages 4 years and 6 years for weight. The per-decade increments in 1975–1985, 1985–1995 and 1995–2005 became larger, while those in 2005–2015 slowed down.Conclusions The rapid increasing trends of weight, height and weight for height had slowed down since 2005 in developed regions of China. The relative increments in the low centile of height were more significant, while the high centile of weight and weight for height increased more significantly in older children.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e029201.full
spellingShingle Ya Qin Zhang
Hua Hong Wu
Xin Nan Zong
Secular trends in weight, height and weight for height among children under 7 years in nine cities of China, 1975–2015: results from five repeated cross-sectional surveys
BMJ Open
title Secular trends in weight, height and weight for height among children under 7 years in nine cities of China, 1975–2015: results from five repeated cross-sectional surveys
title_full Secular trends in weight, height and weight for height among children under 7 years in nine cities of China, 1975–2015: results from five repeated cross-sectional surveys
title_fullStr Secular trends in weight, height and weight for height among children under 7 years in nine cities of China, 1975–2015: results from five repeated cross-sectional surveys
title_full_unstemmed Secular trends in weight, height and weight for height among children under 7 years in nine cities of China, 1975–2015: results from five repeated cross-sectional surveys
title_short Secular trends in weight, height and weight for height among children under 7 years in nine cities of China, 1975–2015: results from five repeated cross-sectional surveys
title_sort secular trends in weight height and weight for height among children under 7 years in nine cities of china 1975 2015 results from five repeated cross sectional surveys
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e029201.full
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AT xinnanzong seculartrendsinweightheightandweightforheightamongchildrenunder7yearsinninecitiesofchina19752015resultsfromfiverepeatedcrosssectionalsurveys