[A survey on the physical growth of children under 7 years in the urban and suburban rural areas of nine cities of China in 1995. Coordinating Group of Nine Cities on Physical Growth and Development of Children].
OBJECTIVE
To know the changing trend of physical growth of Chinese children and compare their nutritional status with that of ten years ago.


METHODS
Random cluster sampling was used and 157,362 healthly children were classified into 22 groups according to location (urban and rural), sex(boy and girl), and age (0-7 years).


RESULTS
As compared with the results in 1985, the mean weight, height and sitting height were significantly increased. The chest and head circumference in most age groups were slightly improved. The urban-rural difference in weight and height reduced. The children in northern and central china were heavier and taller than those in southern China though the regional gap is narrowing in this respect.


CONCLUSIONS
The condition of growth and nutrition of children 0-7 years from urban and suburban rural areas has been much improved. The growth speed of rural children has caught up or surpassed that of their urban peers.
D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011897:Random Allocation; D012423:Rural Health; D012494:Sampling Studies