Abstract: A total of 797 Han nationality children living in Xinxiang district of Henan province from 4 to 13 years old has been investigated. The measurements include (1) stature; (2) span of arms; (3) body weight; (4) length of upper arm, foream, hand, thigh, leg and foot; (5) breadth of shoulder, hand, pelvis, foot; (6) sitting height and height of foot, cervicale above sitting plane; (7) chest circumference. 8 constitutional indices were calculated. The indices include stature-sitting height index, stature-weight index, stature-chest circumference index, stature-shoulder breadth index, stature-pelvic breadth index, Vervaeck index, Erismann index, and Kaup index. Characteristics of physical development of children were analysed. In general, there are no significant sexual difference in 18 measurements which increase with ages. There are two cross phenomena in most items between boys and girls, and the time when cross phenomena take place is earlier than that reported. The changes of 14 indices with ages are divided into 3 kinds: increased, decreased, first decreased and then increased. The indices of bodily part belong to langstamming, narrow thorax, narrow shoulder, narrow pelvis.

Key words: Anthropometry; Development; Body type; Han nationality