The nutritional status and dietary pattern of Chinese adolescents, 1991 and 1993

Objective: To increase understanding about current dietary patterns and sho rt-term relationships between economic change and adolescent nutrition in a lower-income country, using the 1991 and 1993 China Health and Nutrition S urvey data. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Eight provinces in China that vary substantially in geography, economic development, public resources, and hea lth indicators. Subjects: 2236 and 2018 adolescents aged 10-18 years mho completed three 24 -hour recalls in the 1991 and 1993 survey, respectively. Results: Chinese adolescents experienced an improvement of diet and nutriti onal status. The prevalence of stunting declined from 23% in 1991 to 19% in 1993. Under-nutrition was a problem of concern although the prevalence (12 -13%) was relatively low. Overweight was emerging as a problem associated w ith young, high-income and urban adolescents, but the prevalence (4%) was q uite low compared with developed countries. Chinese adolescents' energy and protein intakes were adequate compared with the American RDA. About 27% of the participants derived more than 30% of their dietary energy from fat an d 16% of them derived over 10% of energy from saturated fat by 1993. Conclusion: Chinese adolescents have experienced an improvement in diet and nutritional status, but undernutrition is still an important nutrition pro blem, especially among young and poor groups. More attention should focus o n the increase of dietary fat intake and obesity.