Objective   To examine the association between child rearing model and health inequality among 0 – 3 years old children and to provide references for health promotion of the children.

  Methods  The data on 1 837 children aged 0 – 3 years and with valid information and the height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ) were extracted from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) conducted in 2018 across China. HAZ value was used to assess health status of the children. The concentration index (CI) and decomposition method were adopted to explore the children′s health inequality and its related contributing factors, especially on the contribution of child rearing model.

  Results  The value of health equality CI for all the children was 0.039, indicating a minor health inequality related to socio-economic status in the children and the children from higher-income families being of better health. The decomposition analysis on health equality CI revealed that the contribution ratio of inter-generational rearing to health inequality of the children was 4.99% and that of mixed rearing was 8.04%. The family size, annual household income, and paternal health are the top three contributors to the children′s health inequality, with the contribution ratio of 53.98%, 38.81%, and 23.63%; medical insurance and breastfeeding duration are the two contributors against the health inequality, with the contribution ratio of – 6.36% and – 7.56%, respectively.

  Conclusion  Child rearing model and related family factors have an important influence on the health of children aged 0 – 3 years in China, and may cause health inequality among the children.