A survey on height,weight and overweight,obesity and short stature of 5 374 urban children aged from 6 to 13 years in Tianjin

Objective: To survey the height,weight and the prevalence of overweight,obesity and short stature of school-age children.Methods: 5 374 school-age children were selected from Tianjin city.Height and weight were collected and body mass index was calculated.Using the survey data of children's physical development in nine provinces and municipalities in 2005 as a standard,the prevalence of overweight,obesity and short stature were calculated and analyzed.Results:(1) The mean body heights in boys were the same with the girls.The mean body weights of boys were higher than that of the same age group of girls.(2) The height in 6.5 to 8.5,9.5 to 10.5 and 11.5 to 12 years old age group of boys were higher than the national level.The height in 6.5 to 9.5 and 10.5 to 11.5 years old group of girls were higher than the national level.Boy's and girl's body weight were higher than the national level.(3) The prevalence of overweight and obesity were 12.11% and 17.66% respectively(11.91% and 19.67% for boys,12.30% and 15.49% for girls).The prevalence of obesity in boys was higher than in girls.(4) The prevalence of short stature was 1.99%.The prevalence of short stature in boys was 1.96% and in girls was 2.02%.Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity is faster.More than one fourth of the children in this survey are overweight and obesity.The prevalence of short stature is in the middle level of the nation.Childhood obesity has become one of the serious public health problems deserved early intervention.