title: [The influence of maternal nutrition on children physical development].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of maternal nutrition status on child growth in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed using data from 2002 China Nutrition Health Survey in which data were collected through stratified multi-stage cluster samples in 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. Accroding to the height of women aged 18-44 y was 156.4 cm, the data on mother and children' weight and height/length (n = 1380) were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings suggest child's length (age 2) were significantly correlated with maternal heights (P < 0.0001). The mean length in children born to mothers with a height below 156.4 cm was 2.4 cm less than those in children born to mothers with a height above 156.4 cm. The prevalence of stunting in children at age 2 born to mothers with a height below 156 cm was 2.07 times of that in children born to mothers with a height above 156 cm. Therefore, the risk for stunting in children at 2 is lower in children born to mothers with greater height.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The maternal nutrition status could have a significant influence on children physical development.
authors.affiliation: The Institute for Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Qiang
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Shi-An
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Xiao-Guang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zheng-Xiong
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ling-Zhi
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Wen-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Chun-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult