title: Associated trends in sedentary behavior and BMI among Chinese school children and adolescents in seven diverse Chinese provinces.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Overweight and obesity is becoming a public health concern in China.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined associated trends in sedentary behavior and body mass index (BMI) among school children and adolescents from seven diverse Chinese provinces from 1997 to 2004.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sequential multiple regressions were conducted with combined cross-sectional data derived from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (N = 5,497) to assess relationships between sedentary behavior and BMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 1997 and 2004, the amount of time children (6- to 11-year-olds) spent engaging in sedentary behavior increased from 1.71 to 3.14 h/day (p < 0.05), while the amount of time adolescents (12- to 18-year-olds) spent engaging in sedentary behavior increased from 1.71 to 3.50 h/day (p < 0.05). Studying before and after school and watching TV/videos each accounted for about half the increase in sedentary behavior. Both watching TV/videos and studying before and after school were significantly and positively associated with BMI in males, but not in females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the growing amount of time Chinese school children and adolescents study outside of school and watch TV/videos, Chinese youth are increasingly likely to become more overweight unless population-based prevention actions are taken.
authors: Division of NCD Control and Community Health, Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, P. R. China. jz4@indiana.edu
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Zhang
authors: Dong-Chul
authors: DC
authors: Seo
authors: Lloyd
authors: L
authors: Kolbe
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Middlestadt
authors: Wenhua
authors: W
authors: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D012574:Schools; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012737:Sex Factors; D013690:Television