OBJECTIVESTo analyze the increments of physical growth and development in adolescents and young students in China during the years of 1979-2000 and to lay a scientific basis to make a plan for promoting their healthy growth and development in the new century.

METHODSStudents aged seven to 17 years of Han ethnic were randomly selected from 16 proviness and municipalities during the past 21 years, and increments of their height, body weight, chest circumference and Weierweike index were measured.

RESULTSSignificant increments of physical growth and development were found in adolescents and young students of China during 1979-2000, showing a clearly secular trend in changes of growth and development with the advanced growth spurt the most prominent. The average increments were 6.2 cm, 4.8 cm, 7.5 cm and 6.1 cm for height, 8.2 kg, 5.1 kg, 5.4 kg and 3.8 kg for body weight, and 4.8 cm, 3.2 cm, 2.2 cm and 2.0 cm for chest circumference, respectively, for the urban boys, urban girls, rural boys and rural girls. The increment of height was more in the rural students than in the urban ones, but, the increments of body weight and chest circumference in the rural youth lagged behind the urban ones. It was showed significant improvement in Weierweike Index in the urban students and an increasing trend of "bean sprout" statue in the rural students.

CONCLUSIONIt is suggested much more should be input for the rural students in the future. For their nutritional intake, disease prevention and treatment, strengthening physical exercises, reducing study burden and rational daily life system.