title: [Influencing factors on underweight and stunting among children aged 0 - 3 years in rural areas from ten provinces in China].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analysis the influencing factors on underweight and stunting among children aged 0 - 3 years in rural areas from ten provinces in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children under study were identified by multi-stage stratified cluster from rural areas of ten provinces in China. The ascertainment methods mainly included questionnaire and anthropometric measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 58 926 children under investigation, with 50.91% were boys. The overall rates on underweight and stunting were 5.05% and 10.49% respectively. The rate in the 6 month-olds (1.97%, 3.79%) was the lowest, while the highest were in the 24 month-olds (7.80%) and the 36 month-olds (16.83%). Age, sex, birth weight, gestational weeks as well as maternal education and fathers' schooling were factors significantly related to childhood underweight and stunting (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The status of underweight and stunting among children aged 0 - 3 years in rural areas was impressive, with birth weight was the key factor influencing the growth of children. Perinatal health care should be improved to promote the growth of children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Child Health Care, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. fyebzj@126.com
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qiu-jing
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Chang-you
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiao-xuan
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Sen-bei
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yu-kai
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology*