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Time Trend and Demographic and Geographic Disparities in Childhood Obesity Prevalence in China—Evidence from Twenty Years of Longitudinal Data

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  • Peng Jia

    (Department of Earth Observation Science, Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, Enschede 7500, The Netherlands)

  • Hong Xue

    (Fisher Institute of Health and Well-Being, Systems-Oriented Global Childhood Obesity Intervention Program, College of Health, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306, USA)

  • Ji Zhang

    (National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100000, China)

  • Youfa Wang

    (Fisher Institute of Health and Well-Being, Systems-Oriented Global Childhood Obesity Intervention Program, College of Health, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306, USA
    Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Health, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306, USA)

Abstract

Childhood overweight and obesity (ow/ob) has become a serious threat to many countries, including China. However, limited evidence was obtained from longitudinal data in China. This study examined the secular trends and geographic variation in the prevalence of ow/ob and obesity only, and age, gender, and urban-rural disparities among school-aged children across China. Data from children aged 6–17 surveyed in China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 1991 (n = 2712) to 2011 (n = 1054) were used. Overweight and obesity were defined based on the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) recommended Asian age-sex-specific BMI cut-off-points. We found that: (1) childhood ow/ob and obesity prevalence increased from 11.7% to 25.2% and from 2.8% to 10.1% during 1991–2011, respectively; (2) children aged 6–12 experienced a 1.3 and 1.6 times increase in ow/ob and obesity prevalence than children aged 13–17, respectively; (3) the urban-rural gap in ow/ob prevalence widened; (4) ow/ob prevalence in boys was higher and increased faster than in girls, especially in an urban setting; and (5) geographic variation was observed with faster increases in more economically developed east, central and northeast regions than in the less developed west. The findings added more nuances to the picture of temporal changes in ow/ob prevalence among Chinese children.

Suggested Citation

  • Peng Jia & Hong Xue & Ji Zhang & Youfa Wang, 2017. "Time Trend and Demographic and Geographic Disparities in Childhood Obesity Prevalence in China—Evidence from Twenty Years of Longitudinal Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-9, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:4:p:369-:d:94695
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zhangbin Yu & Shuping Han & Jiahui Chu & Zhongya Xu & Chun Zhu & Xirong Guo, 2012. "Trends in Overweight and Obesity among Children and Adolescents in China from 1981 to 2010: A Meta-Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(12), pages 1-14, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Liwang Gao & Jiang Zhu & Liang Wang & Li Ming Wen & Zhuo Chen & Bingtong Zhao & Weidong Wang & Youfa Wang, 2022. "Interactions between Self-Perceived Weight Status and Lifestyle Behaviors and Their Associations with Childhood Obesity: Results from the Childhood Obesity Study in China Mega-Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-12, August.
    2. Lu Ma & Zeping Fang & Liwang Gao & Yaling Zhao & Hong Xue & Ke Li & Youfa Wang, 2020. "A 3-year Longitudinal Study of Pocket Money, Eating Behavior, Weight Status: The Childhood Obesity Study in China Mega-Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Fan Li & Yaqun Yuan & Xinming Xu & Jingsi Chen & Jiaxuan Li & Gengsheng He & Bo Chen, 2019. "Nutrition Education Practices of Health Teachers from Shanghai K-12 Schools: The Current Status, Barriers and Willingness to Teach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-16, December.

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    Keywords

    China; child; obesity; overweight;
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