Objective   To compare and observe the geographic distribution of nutrition status in Chinese male youth aged 17-21 years in different areas by larger sample survey.

  Methods   100 sampling units were selected among 31 province in China. Nutrition status of 73 000 subjects were measured. Body mass index was computed, and according to the assessment standard of Chinese people, all the subject were catergoried into thinness, normal, overweight, obesity group. Relationship between nutrition status and functional, geographical, climate indexes were analyzed by using step-wise regression.

  Results   The detecting rate of thinness for male youth was 21.%, over weight and obesity was 6.2% and 1.3% respectively. There were significant difference among nutrition status of different areas. North-China youth's was the best among six areas, their detecting rate of thinness was 13.8%, overweight and obesity was 11.0% and 3.1% respectively. The detecting rate of thinness in north-west was 30.0%, it's the highest, overweight and obesity in south-middle was 3.4% and 0.6% respectively, it's the lowest among all the areas. The detecting rate of thinness for urban youth was 20.3%, over weight and obesity's was 8.7% and 2.2% respectively, for rural youth, thinness detecting rate was 21.4%, overweight and obesity's was 4.7% and 0.8% respectively, there were significant difference between urban and rural youth's nutrition status except southwest. The results of step-wise regression showed that blood pressure, vital capacity, age were positive effects on nutrition status, annals mean air temperature, rainfall, altitude and sunlight time were negative (P < 0.01), nutrition status of youth was related to their living area.

  Conclusions  Youth's nutrition status was significant different among different areas, living area might influence youth's nutrition status, and nutrition status might influence youth's heart and lung's function. The relationship between nutrition status and annals mean air temperature, rainfall, altitude and sunlight time may provide leads for nutrition intervention in youth.