文本框: GROWTH AND NUTRITION OF CHINESE CHILDREN Liu X. Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China A child health monitoring system was established in child health care department of Children’s Hospital of Shanghai Medical University in 1980, one year after the launch of economic reforms in China, in order to investigate whether the socio-economic advancement had any impact on the secular growth of children. Children born in Fenling community of Shanghai were follow-up regularly from one month to 6 years old. The study population of this community based longitudinal child health monitor system consisted of 6355 children born between Jan,1,1980 and Dec,31,1990. 3381 boys (53.2%) and 2974 girls (46.8%). An eleven year birth cohort data were studied. The mean values of weight and length/height were calculated according to age and sex, growth curves were drawn for the eleven birth cohorts. The reference curves from Chinese national growth values of urban children (1985) and that of NCHS reference values were indicated for comparison. All these Shanghai curves are above the P50 lines of reference curves, and that of 1989-1990 birth cohorts at the uppermost, that of the 1980-1982 birth cohorts at the lowest position. Such secular trends of increase in growth occurred as early as in infancy, beginning from 6 months onward, became more prominent after 4 years old, reaches the uppermost level at 6 years of age. The patterns of secular changes appear approximately the same for weight and height in both boys and girls. The longitudinal follow up data of Shanghai urban children reveal the similar tendency of secular growth of Chinese children shown in 9 main cities, undertaken in 1975,1985 and 1995. For example, the average increase of weight and height of 6-7 years old children in the second decade (1985-1995) were obviously higher than that of first decade (1975-1985). Analysis of the national data of the increase in expenditure of milk and its products, the amount of cow’s milk production, and the personal possess of animal foods per year showed that there were very prominent improvements of nutritious food supply for the general population, based on the socio-economic advancement in recent years. Besides, the marked reduction of childhood infectious disease after the successful national wide vaccination program, as in Shanghai mostly 100% children got full schedule vaccination, also play a big role in promotion of secular growth of Chinese children.