In this study, we assessed the hemoglobin levels and anemia status of Chinese children and adolescents from the Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey (CNNHS) in 2010–2012 and analyzed the factors associated with anemia. The hemoglobin concentration and prevalence of anemia for children and adolescents aged 6–17 years from both CNNHS 2010–2012 and CNNHS 2002 were analyzed. Multi-variable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the factors associated with anemia. The mean hemoglobin concentration increased among Chinese children and adolescents, from 135.2 ± 13.9g/L in CNNHS 2002 to 141.2 ± 15.8 g/L in CNNHS 2010–2012, with the prevalence of anemia decreasing from 12.6% to 6.6% (p < 0.0001). Anemia was specifically related to girls (p < 0.0001); children aged 6–8 years (p = 0.0175), 12–14 years (p = 0.0007), and 15–17 years (p < 0.0001); ordinary rural areas (p = 0.0009) and poor rural areas (p < 0.0001);spring (p < 0.0001), autumn (p < 0.0001), and winter (p < 0.0001);underweight individuals (p < 0.0001); and an annual average income per capita of less than 20,000 RMB (p < 0.0001).The prevalence of anemia in Chinese children and adolescents has improved significantly in comparison to 10 years prior; however, it remains a public health problem in this population. Further research is required to understand the determinants of iron status, which could then lead to strategies to alleviate iron deficiency for Chinese children and adolescents, especially for girls, those living in rural areas, underweight individuals, and those with a low family income.

Optimal vitamin D (vitD) status is beneficial for both pregnant women and their newborns. The aim of this study was to evaluate the vitamin D status of Chinese pregnant women in the latest China Nutrition and Health Surveillance (CNHS) 2015–2017, analyze the risk factors of vitamin D deficiency (VDD), and compare them with those in CNHS 2010–2012. Serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured by ELISA method. City type, district, latitude, location, age, vitamin D supplements intake, education, marital status, annual family income, etc., were recorded. The median 25(OH)D concentration was 13.02 (10.17–17.01) ng/mL in 2015–2017, and 15.48 (11.89–20.09) ng/mL in 2010–2012. The vitamin D sufficient rate was only 12.57% in 2015–2017, comparing to 25.17% in 2010–2012. The risk factors of vitamin D inadequacy (25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL) in 2015–2017 were not exactly consistent with that in 2010–2012. The risk factors included season of spring (p < 0.0001) and winter (p < 0.001), subtropical (p < 0.001), median (p < 0.0001) and warm temperate zones (p < 0.0001), the western (p = 0.027) and the central areas (p = 0.041), while vitD supplements intake (p = 0.021) was a protective factor in pregnant women. In conclusion, vitD inadequacy is very common among Chinese pregnant women. We encourage pregnant women to take more effective sunlight and proper vitD supplements, especially for those from the subtropical, warm and medium temperate zones, the western and the central, and in the seasons of spring and winter.

Anemia is a public health issue for developing countries, especially for women of childbearing age. The aim of this study was to assess the anemia status and analyze the risk factors for anemia in Chinese childbearing women aged 18–49 years. Hemoglobin concentration was measured by the HiCN method in the Fifth Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey (CNNHS) in 2010–2012. Age, region type, ethnicity, bodyweight, height, education, season and smoke habit were recorded in unified questionnaires. Latitude was divided by China’s Qinling Mountains and Huaihe River. Childbearing women (28,289) from the CNNHS 2010–2012 were included in this study. The median hemoglobin concentration was 136.2(126.6–145.0) g/L, and it was significantly higher than in CNNHS 2002 (132.5 (122.3–141.6) g/L). The prevalence of anemia was 15.0%, and it was significantly lower than 10 years ago. The logistic regression analysis showed anemia in Chinese childbearing women was specifically related to 30–39 age group (P = 0.004), in spring (P < 0.0001) or in winter (P = 0.006), small and medium-sized cities (P = 0.044) and middle school education level (P = 0.027). The results showed that anemia status among childbearing women was greatly improved over 10 years since 2002, but it was still more severe than the rest of the populations. The nutrition propaganda and education is recommended for childbearing women to help them to improve the nutritional status on their own.

Objectives: To analyze the serum zinc nutrition status of the Chinese elderly, and to assess the risk factor for zinc deficiency. Methods: 3727 elderly people over 60 years old were randomly selected from 302 monitoring points in 31 provinces of China Adult Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance (CACDNS) 2015. Blood samples were selected from the biological sample bank of CACDNS 2015 and the basic information were collected by questionnaires. The criteria of serum zinc deficiency recommended by the International Zinc Nutrition Consulting Group (IZiNCG) were adopted, and the related factors were also analyzed. Results: The median serum zinc concentration of Chinese elderly was 99.2 (84.3~118.7) μg/dL. The overall adjusted prevalence of zinc deficiency was 8.68%, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 7.74% and 9.61%. Significant differences were found in different sex, age groups, Body Mass Index (BMI), residence region, race and education level in terms of serum zinc status in the elderly (p < 0.05). Participants who are males, aged above 70y, with BMIs of less than 18.5 kg/m², living in rural areas, minority, and with the lowest income had a higher prevalence of zinc deficiency in the subgroups under different classifications. The risk of zinc deficiency in the elderly over 70y was 1.44 higher than those aged 60–69y (OR = 1.44, 95%CI 1.14–1.82), and the minority elderly has a 1.39 higher risk than Han nationality (OR = 1.39, 95%CI 1.01–1.91), while overweight/obesity and female elderly were at lower risk (OR < 1, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The overall prevalence of zinc deficiency in the elderly was highest in all adults in the CACDNS. It is recommended that the male elderly, over 70 years, and the minority elderly should pay more attention to the zinc nutrition status of their own.

We evaluated the iodine nutritional status and related factors among school-age children based on the 2016 National Nutrition and Health Surveillance of Children and Lactating Women; 3808 children from Hebei, Guangxi, and Zhejiang province were included in the study. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), body mass index (BMI), vitamin A (VA), and vitamin D (VD) were measured. The abnormal rate of UIC and TSH were assessed. Relationships between UIC/TSH and the possible factors were analyzed. The overall median UIC was 185.14 µg/L, and the median UIC of children aged 8–10 was 164.60 µg/L. Prevalence of iodine deficiency and excess was 13.84% and 14.36%, respectively, and 12.87% of children showed TSH excess. UIC, as well as the abnormal rates of iodine deficiency (ID) and TSH, were significantly different among the three provinces. The median UICs and excess rates increased with age, reaching 211.45 µg/L and 21.35% at age of 14~, while TSH showed the opposite trend. Overweight children tended to have lower UIC and higher TSH. Higher UIC and TSH were found in VA sufficient group (p < 0.01). Further, the VD deficient group had a higher TSH compared to the sufficient group (p < 0.01). Moreover, UI and TSH distribution was obviously different among different vitamin A/D status (p < 0.05). Although the median UIC of school-age children was optimal, there were pockets of inadequate and excessive UI in the three provinces. Compared to the national IDD monitoring results in 2014, the iodine nutritional status of children was greatly improved. Considerations of region, age, BMI, VA, or VD are needed in the future iodine evaluation and surveillance.

Vitamin D is beneficial for maintaining good health; however, there is a lack of nationally representative data reported, particularly in older adults. To better understand the nutritional status of vitamin D and its influencing factors on Chinese older adults, we adopted stratified random sampling to select serum samples originating from the Chronic Disease and Nutritional Survey Biobank of Chinese Residents in 2015–2017. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay. The OR and PR of associated factors for vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were calculated. In the study, a total of 6273 participants were included. Median serum 25(OH)D concentration was 18.48 (13.27–24.71) ng/mL. The overall rate of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency was 58.27% (<20 ng/mL), and the VDD rate was 22.17%, which is worse than 5 years ago by nearly 20%. The likelihood of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency is increased in women, people aged and above 70 years, ethnic minorities, people living in urban areas, midlands, or western areas, warm or medium temperate zones, with middle school and above education level, and people with abdominal obesity and anemia would increase the possibility of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency with latitude having the greatest impact on vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency. Overall, vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are very common in Chinese older adults. They should be encouraged to improve their vitamin D nutritional status through enough sunshine exposure and increasing vitamin D intake through diet or supplements.