Abstract: Trends in skinfold thickness and body composition of urban and rural children aged 7—12 were analyzed by using the data on students physical fitness and health surveillance from 1995 and 2005 in Shandong province. In the past 10 years, the sum of the triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness of these children averaged increases of 7.97mm (urban male), 4.54mm (urban female), 11.42mm (rural male) and 9.48mm (rural female). The percentage of fat increased on average 3.42 % (urban male), 2.07 % (urban female), 4.92 % (rural male) and 4.35 % (rural female), with body fat increases of 2.34kg (urban male), 1.27kg (urban female), 2.82kg (rural male) and 2.30kg (rural female). Lean body mass increased 1.96kg (urban male), 1.42kg (urban female), 1.78kg (rural male) and 0.96kg (rural female). It was noted that increases of percentage fat and body fat of urban children was larger than that of rural children, and that boys was larger than girls. Because percentage of fat had a significant increase, the prevalent rates of overweight children in this age group showed a rapid increase, from 11.78 % (urban male), 6.22 % (urban female), 2.78 % (rural male) and 1189 % (rural female) in 1995 to 17.86 % ( urban male), 10.02 % ( urban female), 12.03 % (rural male) and 6.46 % (rural female) in 2005. This increase was also clear in obese children with rates of obesity from 5.00 % ( urban male), 3.67 % ( urban female), 0.56 % (rural male) and 0.33 % (rural female) in 1995 to 16.57 % (urban male), 8.16 % (urban female), 9.62 % (rural male) and 6.56 % (rural female) in 2005.

Key words: Body composition; Skinfold thickness; Child