ABSTRACT
Objective@#To understand the characteristic of height growth among preschool children with normal physique, overweight and obese, and in order to provide basis for proper physical growth intervention of preschool children.@*Methods@#Cluster sampling method was used and preschool children of kindergartens in 7 cities were selected, height and weight was measured, the information of birth date and sex were collected by parents’ questionnaires. The "WHO Child Growth Standards" was used for evaluate children’s height and body mass index. ANOVA analysis and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used for statistic analysis.@*Results@#There were 2 479 children who were normal weight, overweight and obese at baseline and were followed up for 2 years. The detection rate of <P25 height decreased by years(12.08%, 3.70%, 2.21%), and ≥P75 height evaluation increased among children with different physique(35.20%, 55.56%, 73.48%). Compared with normal weight children, overweight and obese children had higher average height, annual height growth value, detection rate of annual height growth value greater than 7 cm, detection rate of ≥P75 height and height annual increase rate.@*Conclusion@#Parents and practitioners in MCH should pay attention to the children’s height growth, especially on overweight and obese children. More in-depth research are needed to explore the relationship between children’s height and physique.