The Chinese Adolescent Cohort Study: Design, Implementation, and Major Findings

The importance of diet quality on children's growth is being increasingly recognized. The Chinese Adolescent Cohort (CAC) is a longitudinal cohort study to comprehensively investigate the health impacts of nutritional factors on child growth. From 2013 to 2018, 6,967 children aged 6-8 years have been recruited from 23 primary schools in Sichuan, Guizhou, and Chongqing, which have been planned to be followed up annually until their age of 15 years. Regular assessments included the measurement of height, weight, waist circumference, and skinfold thicknesses; pubertal development was examined by trained investigators according to Tanner stages; dietary intake was obtained by three 24-h recalls and food frequency questionnaire; validated questionnaires were used to estimate socio-demographic characteristics, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors. Findings from the CAC baseline and the first follow-up data suggested that higher protein intake among girls and unhealthy eating habits among children might increase the risk for childhood obesity. Also, higher intakes of grain and meat and lower overall diet quality and intakes of dietary fiber and tuber might be associated with advanced pubertal development. Those results indicated that the CAC study could contribute to the development of strategies for optimizing Chinese children's health.