title: The 5th national survey on the physical growth and development of children in the nine cities of China: Anthropometric measurements of Chinese children under 7 years in 2015.
abstract: To describe the physical growth of healthy children under 7 years in China based on the latest national survey and provide more data for revising growth reference and monitoring the impact of social development on children's health and growth.
  
  
  
  In the cross-sectional survey, 161,774 healthy children under 7 years were selected by multistage stratified cluster sampling method in nine cities of China. According to the geographical location, the nine cities were divided into northern, central and southern regions, and each city included urban and suburban areas. Anthropometric measurements were obtained on the spots and other related information was collected with questionnaires.
  
  
  
  There were slight urban-suburban difference and obvious regional difference in anthropometric measurements in China. Comparison with the 4th NSPGDC in 2005, measurements increased 0.1-1.1 kg in weight, 0.5-1.8 cm in height in urban areas (except children under 3 years) and 0.1-2.5 kg in weight, 0.2-3.8 cm in height in suburban areas. The urban-suburban difference of those measurements became smaller than 10 years ago, but their regional difference persistently exist. Chinese children were 0.36 SD in weight, 0.43 SD in height in urban areas and 0.30 SD in weight, 0.30 SD in height in suburban areas higher than WHO standards.
  
  
  
  Physical growth of children under 7 years old was undergoing a slowly positive secular trend during the latest decade in more economically developed regions of China. Urban-suburban difference of those measurements became smaller, while their regional difference persistently exist. Chinese healthy children under 7 years in nine cities was taller and heavier than WHO standards.
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Development, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Qin
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5199-7408
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Development, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Development, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hua-Hong
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Development, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Nan
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Zong
authors.affiliation: Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zong-Han
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Harbin Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Xi'an Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Maternal and Child Health Care Center, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Mei-Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Wuhan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Ai-Fen
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Fuzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Kunming Municiple Women and Children Health Care Center, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Scientific and Research, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D057238:Growth Charts; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: body height/length; body weight; children; physical growth