Abstract:

This study analyzes the growth, physical development, and changes in overweight and obesity status among Chinese adolescents from 2014 to 2020. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020, we examined height, body mass, and body mass index (BMI) measurements of 10,603 adolescents aged 13-18 to assess prevalence changes across different groups. Logistic regression was utilized to explore the influencing factors of overweight and obesity in adolescents. The results showed that the height of adolescents aged 13~18 exhibited an increasing trend from 2014 to 2020. The heights of urban and rural boys aged 13 and 15, urban girls aged 15, and rural girls aged 13~15 in 2014 were all statistically significantly different from those in 2020 (P<0.05). In 2020, the body masses of urban boys and girls aged 13~18 increased by 2.8 kg and 1.6 kg respectively compared to those in 2014, and the gender differences were statistically significant (boys: t=4.329, P<0.05; girls: t=3.159, P<0.05). The body mass differences between urban boys aged 13, 14, 15, and 18, rural boys aged 13, 14, 15, and 17, urban girls aged 14 and 18, and rural girls aged 13, 14, 15, 17, and 18 in 2020 and those in 2014 were statistically significant (P<0.05). From 2014 to 2020, the overweight, obesity, overweight-obesity rates for boys increased from 6.4%, 0.7%, 7.1% to 13.3%, 3.2%, 16.5% respectively; those for girls increased from 5.0%, 0.6%, 5.6% to 7.5%, 2.3%, 9.8% respectively; those for urban adolescents increased from 6.1%, 0.4%, 6.5% to 12.2%, 4.3%, 16.5% respectively; and those for rural adolescents increased from 5.3%, 0.8%, 6.1% to 9.1%, 1.7%, 10.8% respectively. The prevalence of overweight (4.8% vs 3.1%) and overweight-obesity (5.6% vs 3.7%) of boys was significant higher than girls’ (P<0.001). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that region, gender, age, and year were influencing factors for adolescent overweight/overweight-obesity (P<0.05); region, age, and year were influencing factors for adolescent obesity(P<0.05). From 2014 to 2020, although the heights of Chinese adolescents aged 13 - 18 did not show substantial growth, the body masses of urban adolescents increased significantly, presenting a “horizontal development” phenomenon in body shape. Additionally, the overweight and obesity rates of all groups continued to rise. It is extremely urgent to focus on students’ physical health and prevent overweight and obesity.

Key words: adolescent, height, body mass, obesity, growth and development