Study of height, sitting height, lower extremity length, and the prevalence of short stature among elementary school students in the Tianyuan District of Zhuzhou City

Abstract

In this study, the height, sitting height, lower extremity length, growth status, and body proportions of elementary school students aged 6 to 12 years in Tianyuan District of Zhuzhou City, China, were analyzed. A total of 41,156 children from 38 elementary schools in the Tianyuan District of Zhuzhou City were selected for height measurement, employing the cluster sampling method. After the cluster data were obtained, the height and sitting height information were extracted, and calculations were performed for lower extremity length, sitting height-to-lower extremity length ratio, and sitting height-to-height ratio. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 23.0 software. The height and sitting height measurements of boys and girls aged 6 to 12 years in Tianyuan District surpassed the 2005 national standard set for 9 cities, while the lower extremities of children within the 7 to 9 age range fell below the national standard. In alignment with the national average, the fitted curve representing height for both boys and girls aged 6 to 12 years in Tianyuan District exhibited an intersection point around 10 to 10.5 years. No discernible distinction was observed in the incidence of short stature, as analyzed through the P3 standard, between the fitted curve for Tianyuan District and the national standard. Moreover, tall children exhibited a significantly lower sitting height-to-height ratio compared to their shorter counterparts. The fitted height curve in Tianyuan District, Zhuzhou City, proves effective in discerning shorter-statured children within the region. Nevertheless, further research is warranted to elucidate the factors contributing to the comparatively shorter lower extremities observed in children from Tianyuan District, Zhuzhou City, in contrast to the national average.