title: Secular growth trends among children in Beijing (1955-2010).
abstract: To analyze the growth trends of children in Beijing from 1955 to 2010.
  
  
  
  Data for the period 1955-1975 were derived from published records. Data for the period 1985-2010 were derived from the Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health (CNSSCH). Since 1985, the overall sampling and measurement methods have been consistent. The mean, the standard deviation, and the variance (ANOVA) of height, weight, and BMI by age and sex of students aged 7-17 were calculated and analyzed.
  
  
  
  Between 1955 and 2010, the average height and weight of children in Beijing has increased. The average increments per decade for boys and girls were 2.45cm and 2.03cm in height and 2.68kg and 1.68kg in weight, respectively. The largest height increase per decade occurred between 1975 and 1985: 4.51cm and 3.23cm for boys and girls, respectively. The largest height increase for the entire 55-year period under study occurred among boys at age 13 (17.85cm) and among girls at age 11 (15.90cm.)
  
  
  
  During the period 1955-2010, growth trends among children in Beijing were positive. The health and nutritional status of these children improved significantly. Since 2007, might be related to government intervention, childhood obesity has been curbed.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Institute of School Health, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ruoran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Institute of School Health, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Institute of School Health, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jiali
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Institute of School Health, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Institute of School Health, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Da
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.affiliation: Institute of School Health, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Institute of School Health, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China. Electronic address: dengy@bjcdc.org.cn.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: guoxiuh@ccmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiuhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000068476:Beijing / Q000453:epidemiology; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Beijing; Height; Secular trends; Weight