Physical Developmental Survey Of Students In Chengdu In 2006

Objective: 1.To get information on current status and secular trend of physical development of students in elementary and middle schools in Chengdu. 2.To get information on nutritional status of students in order to provide some evidence to make health care planning for students in Chengdu.Methods: 1.All the objects cluster sampled from the elementary and middle schools in 5 districts in Chengdu city were divided into 26 groups according to the group interval of 1 year. Height and weight were measured for all of them and Body Mass Index(BMI) caculated, The SPSS10.0 software was used for statistical analysis. 2.The data were compared respectively with the criteria recommended by WHO and the results from National Surveys on Chinese students'Constitution and Health in 2005 to comprehend the national and international levels on which the students'physical development in our city was. 3.To understand the secular trend of physical development of the students in our city by analyzing increased values of heights and weights every 10 years from 1958 to 2006.4.The obesity and malnutrition detection rates were caculated by comparing with obesity criteria instituted by the Working Group on Obesity of China(WGOC) and the results from National Surveys on Chinese students'Constitution and Health in 1885 to understand nutritional status of the students in our city.Results: 1.There were significant deviations in height and weight curves between boys and girls. The values of height and weight were higher in most groups of boys than in girls. 2.The averages of height and weight in most groups in boys and girls were lower comparing with the results from National survey, but the averages of height both in boys and girls groups were lower comparing with WHO criteria. The averages of weight in boys were higher before 15 years and lower comparing with WHO criteria, whereas were lower in girls except 7-year group.3.The increased values of height every 10 years were getting slower, but of weight were in opposition. 4. The detection rates of overweight were 14.4% and 8.2% in boys and girls respectively, of obesity were 6.8% and 3.2% in boys and girls respectively. The relationship of the detection rates between obesity and overweight existed in girls (RI=0.68,P<0.05)but not in boys.Conclusions: 1.There were significant differences in physical development between boys and girls. The peak time of physical growth in girls was 2 years in advance of in boys. 2.The students' nutritional level in Chengdu was approaching even exceeding the National level, but the feature of "short stature" was showed. 3.Obesity might be the main health problem because the acceleration of height was slow but of weight increased continually these years. 4.0besity in boys was more than that in girls and malnutrition was less than that in girls. It should not lose weight blindly against overweight particularly in boys. 4.,It was necessary to put emphasis of nutrition and health promotion on puberty because mild malnutrition and hypo-weight were much common in this stage.