Objective: To define fatty acid and macronutrient intakes in a rural Chinese preschool population, and relate these intakes to anthropometric indices. Design: Cross-sectional survey of anthropometry and diet (three 24-h recalls). National Centers for Health Statistics/World Health Organization growth reference charts were used to determine the prevalence of malnutrition (z-scores less than À2 standard deviation (s.d.) below the mean): height-for-age (stunted), weight-for-age (underweight), weight-for-height (wasted) and mid-upper-arm-circumference-for-age (low fat/muscle). Subjects and setting: A total of 196 children aged 1-5 years old were volunteered by their families to participate in the survey, located in Heqing County, Yunnan Province, China. Results: The respective prevalence of stunting, underweight, wasting and low fat/muscle was: 38, 21, 2 and 8%. Daily intakes of linoleic acid (LA; 18:2n-6), a-linolenic acid (LNA; 18:3n-3), arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4n-6) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3), averaged for all children, were 2 10071200, 3007250, 55735 and 307140 mg/day, respectively. As percent of total fat intake, LA contributed 11.9%, LNA 1.8%, AA 0.3% and DHA 0.2%. Height-for-age and weight-for-age z-scores were negatively correlated with g/kg/day intake of LA and AA (Po0.05). Weight-for-height z-score was negatively correlated with AA g/kg/day intake (Po0.05). Conclusions: This study provided polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) intakes in rural preschool children in a developing country. The associations of PUFA intake with early childhood growth suggest that growth in preschool-aged children could be significantly and specifically related to n-6 fatty acid intakes. Sponsorship: ECOFund and NSERC.

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