OBJECTIVETo analyze the differences in anthropometric measurements between Mongolia and Han girls and understand the characteristics of their physical development in two ethnic groups.

METHODSThe data on anthropometric measurements of Mongolia and Han girls aged 9-17 years in Inner Mongolia were obtained from the Chinese National Survey on Student's Constitution and Health (CNSSCH) in 2010, and the data included body height, sitting height, chest circumference, weight, triceps skinfold thickness (TST), scapular skinfold thickness (SST), abdominal skinfold thickness (AST), and having menarche or not. The girls were divided into two groups according to having menarche or not, and the differences in anthropometric measurements between Mongolia and Han girls were analyzed for the two groups, respectively.

RESULTSThe proportions of Mongolia girls (9-17 years) who have experienced menarche was higher than that of Han girls (67.6%,1 049/1 553) vs (62.9%,1 837/2 922) (χ² = 9.17, P = 0.002). In girls without menarche (9-14 years), sitting height, AST, and BMI in Mongolia girls was 0.5 cm, 1.6 mm, and 0.4 kg/m², respectively, which were higher than those in Han girls (all P < 0.05). In girls who have experienced menarche (11-17 years), height and SST in Han girls was 0.8 cm, and 1.0 mm, respectively, which were higher than those in Mongolia girls (all P values < 0.01); TST, AST and BMI in Mongolia girls were 0.9 mm, 2.9 mm, and 0.3 kg/m², respectively, which were higher than those in Han girls (all P values < 0.05), respectively.

CONCLUSIONBody AST and BMI in Mongolia girls are higher than those in Han girls, while body height in Han girls is better than that in Mongolia girls after menarche. The differences of physical development between Mongolia girls and Han girls might be different before and after experiencing menarche.