[Changing trends of nutritional status among children and adolescents aged 6-18 in Zhejiang Province from 2005 to 2024].

Source: PubMed, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine

In 2024, the overall prevalence of malnutrition (including wasting, overweight, and obesity) among children and adolescents aged 6-18 years in Zhejiang Province was 34.80%, with the prevalences of mild wasting, moderate-to-severe wasting, overweight, and obesity being 4.54%, 3.30%, 14.25%, and 12.72%, respectively. The highest prevalences of moderate-to-severe wasting, overweight, and obesity were 4.74% (aged 6-8 years), 16.43% (aged 15-18 years), and 14.89% (aged 9-11 years), respectively. The prevalences of mild wasting, moderate-to-severe wasting, overweight, and obesity were all higher in boys than in girls (5.11%. 3.91%, 3.56%. 3.01%, 16.67%. 11.60%, 15.84%. 9.30%, all<0.001). The prevalence of obesity was lower among urban students than among rural students (12.05%. 13.30%,<0.001), while the prevalence of overweight was higher among middle school students than among primary school students (15.88%. 12.84%,<0.001). From 2005 to 2024, the prevalence of wasting among children and adolescents aged 6-18 years in Zhejiang Province showed a trend of initial increase, followed by a decrease, and then a rebound [Annual Percentage Change (APC) values were 1.88, -3.87, and 7.45 for the periods 2005-2008, 2009-2020, and 2021-2024, respectively]. The prevalence of overweight and obesity exhibited a continuous upward trend, though its growth rate gradually slowed (APC values were 4.80, 3.12, and 0.12 for the periods 2005-2013, 2014-2020, and 2021-2024, respectively).