title: The nutrient intakes of Chinese children and adolescents and their impact on growth and development.
abstract: Considerable improvement has taken place in the growth and development of children and adolescents in China since 1949, and even since 1931, with the notable exception of war-time. There are interesting comparisons with Japan, with developing and developed nations, which provide insights into preferred eating patterns for children. These are borne out by intra-China analyses of rural and urban populations (urban generally fairing better), of majority Han and minority groups, of socio-economically advantaged and disadvantaged, and of regional populations. Energy intake and food nutrient density need, as expected, to be adequate. But particular problems remain, especially with iron, and Vitamin B-2, and probably with calcium, Vitamins A, B-1 and C intakes, although more often for marginal than frank deficiency. A "two-peak phenomenon" is also emerging in China, where about 80% of children aged 0-4 in urban areas, and 20-45% in rural areas, are only-children; this is that overfatness may co-exist with undernutrition. Primary health care in China is increasingly challenged by these dilemmas.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, Beijing Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Ye