Results of a Study on the Weight and Height of 3- to 5-Year-Old Children

Abstract

Children undergo rapid growth and development, making it crucial to regularly monitor their height and weight while addressing potential risk factors. This study aimed to assess the current growth status of preschool children aged 3 to 5 years. A total of 57,657 children from 21 provinces and 8 districts of the capital city were randomly selected for analysis. Using the WHO "Child Growth Standards" methodology, Z-scores were calculated through SPSS27 software to evaluate the data. The results indicated that 5.6% of children exhibited growth stunting, 5.3% were underweight, and 14.7% were overweight or obese. Growth stunting was 0.4% higher in girls than in boys, while boys had a 0.3% higher underweight rate and were 2.2% more likely to be overweight or obese than girls. Additionally, children in urban areas had a higher average height compared to those in rural areas. When analyzed by age group, boys were consistently taller than girls, with differences of 1.1 cm at age 3, 0.9 cm at age 4, and 0.7 cm at age 5.