title: [Analysis of differences in anthropometric measurements between Mongolia and Han girls in China].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the differences in anthropometric measurements between Mongolia and Han girls and understand the characteristics of their physical development in two ethnic groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data on anthropometric measurements of Mongolia and Han girls aged 9-17 years in Inner Mongolia were obtained from the Chinese National Survey on Student's Constitution and Health (CNSSCH) in 2010, and the data included body height, sitting height, chest circumference, weight, triceps skinfold thickness (TST), scapular skinfold thickness (SST), abdominal skinfold thickness (AST), and having menarche or not. The girls were divided into two groups according to having menarche or not, and the differences in anthropometric measurements between Mongolia and Han girls were analyzed for the two groups, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportions of Mongolia girls (9-17 years) who have experienced menarche was higher than that of Han girls (67.6%,1 049/1 553) vs (62.9%,1 837/2 922) (χ² = 9.17, P = 0.002). In girls without menarche (9-14 years), sitting height, AST, and BMI in Mongolia girls was 0.5 cm, 1.6 mm, and 0.4 kg/m², respectively, which were higher than those in Han girls (all P < 0.05). In girls who have experienced menarche (11-17 years), height and SST in Han girls was 0.8 cm, and 1.0 mm, respectively, which were higher than those in Mongolia girls (all P values < 0.01); TST, AST and BMI in Mongolia girls were 0.9 mm, 2.9 mm, and 0.3 kg/m², respectively, which were higher than those in Han girls (all P values < 0.05), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Body AST and BMI in Mongolia girls are higher than those in Han girls, while body height in Han girls is better than that in Mongolia girls after menarche. The differences of physical development between Mongolia girls and Han girls might be different before and after experiencing menarche.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China.
authors.forename: Lianguo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiaohui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiangkun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Zhenghe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Email: majunt@bjmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D044466:Asian People; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche; D012885:Skinfold Thickness