Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Prevalence of overweight/obesity in Chinese children
Jian-Meng Liu1, Rongwei Ye, Song Li
1Institute of Reproductive and Child Health and National Center for Maternal and Infant Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, People's Republic of China. liujm@ncmih.bjmu.edu.cn
Insights
In 2000, 7.4% of Chinese children aged 3.5-6.4 were overweight or obese, with higher rates in girls and northern rural areas. Adiposity rebound occurred after 6.5 years, indicating a later onset than in Western countries.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Public Health Nutrition
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Childhood overweight and obesity are significant global health concerns.
- Understanding prevalence and risk factors is crucial for targeted interventions.
- Adiposity rebound age is a key indicator of long-term weight trajectory.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of overweight/obesity in Chinese children in 2000 by area, age, and gender.
- To investigate the age of adiposity rebound using Body Mass Index (BMI) in Chinese children.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 262,738 children aged 3.5-6.4 years across 26 Chinese counties/cities.
- Standardized measurements of height and weight collected from March to July 2000.
- International age- and gender-specific BMI cut-off points and multiple logistic regression analysis were employed.
Main Results:
- The overall prevalence of overweight/obesity was 7.4% (19,390 children).
- Girls exhibited higher odds of being overweight/obese (OR=1.14) compared to boys.
- Higher prevalence was observed in northern rural areas (OR=2.58) and among younger children (aged 3.5-5.5 years).
Conclusions:
- Childhood overweight/obesity rates in China in 2000 mirrored those in Great Britain or the U.S. in earlier decades.
- The age of adiposity rebound in Chinese children was determined to be over 6.5 years.
- Findings highlight regional and gender disparities in childhood obesity and a later adiposity rebound pattern.
Background:
The purpose of this paper was to report the prevalence of overweight/obesity by area, age, and gender in the year 2000 and to explore at what age adiposity rebound as measured by BMI occurs for Chinese children.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was carried out among 262,738 children aged 3.5-6.4 years in 26 counties/cities in China. Weight and height were measured from March 2000 through July 2000 by local trained health workers. International age- and gender-specific BMI cut-off points were used to obtain comparable prevalence rates of overweight/obesity. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) of being overweight/obesity for different comparisons.
Results:
There were 19,390 overweight (16,738) or obese (2,652) children, resulting in an overall prevalence rate of 7.4% (95% CI: 7.3-7.5%). Girls were more likely to be overweight or obese than boys (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.11-1.17). Compared with children living in the southern urban area, multivariate ORs for those living in northern rural and southern rural areas were 2.58 and 1.15, respectively. Compared with children aged 6.0-6.4 years old, multivariate ORs for children aged 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 and 5.5 years were 1.96, 1.88, 1.56, 1.53, and 1.11, respectively (p<0.001).
Conclusions:
Childhood overweight/obesity in Chinese children in 2000 is similar to the conditions of Great Britain or the U.S. in the 1980s or earlier. Age at adiposity rebound as measured by BMI for Chinese children is >6.5 years old.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Obesity
01:21Drug Dosing: Obese Patients
01:25Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Absorption and Distribution
01:20Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Metabolism and Excretion
01:30Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.