Objective: To investigate the trends of the distribution of body mass index(BMI) among Chinese adults in some provinces from 1989 to 2000.
Methods: This paper was based on data collected in the China Health and Nutrition Survey in 1989,1991,1993,1997 and 2000, and the subjects were 20- 45 years old healthy men and women.
Results: In the period of 1989 - 2000, the mean of BMI among Chinese adults was increasing from 1989 to 2000. The mean of BMI among male increased from 21.3kg/m(2) to 22.4kg/m(2). At the same time, the mean of BMI among female increased from 21.8 kg/m(2) to 22.5kg/m(2) . With the changing of the distribution of BMI among Chinese adults the prevalence of overweight and obesity increased from 1989 to 2000. The people who were elder than thirty years old had a faster increasing in BMI than younger age group. Moreover the people who lived in city suburb and town had a faster increasing than who lived in village.
Conclusion: It is a big problem to control the changing of the distribution of BMI among Chinese adults.