[The influence of maternal nutrition on children physical development].
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.
Lai
Jian-Qiang
JQ
The Institute for Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China.
Yin
Shi-An
SA
Yang
Xiao-Guang
XG
Yang
Zheng-Xiong
ZX
Kong
Ling-Zhi
LZ
Zhao
Wen-Hua
WH
Chen
Chun-Ming
CM
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