Table 1 Characteristic of the follow-up pediatric population from the longitudinal cohort study in China

 Age, year, mean ± SD

9.53 ± 0.59

8.49 ± 0.55

< 0.001

 Single-child status, n(%)

87 (31.3%)

85 (29.0%)

0.451

Maternal occupation^a, n(%)

0.066

Civil servant

143 (51.4%)

144 (49.1%)

Businessman/Company employee/Worker

83 (29.9%)

111 (37.9%)

Housework/Unemployed/laid-off/Retirees

52 (18.7%)

37 (12.6%)

Missing data

0 (0.0%)

1 (0.3%)

Paternal occupation^a, n(%)

0.321

Civil servant

132 (47.5%)

126 (43.0%)

Businessman/Company employee/Worker

105 (37.8%)

132 (45.1%)

Housework/Unemployed/laid-off/Retirees

39 (14.0%)

34 (11.6%)

Missing data

2 (0.7%)

1 (0.3%)

Monthly household income, n(%)

0.101

< 5000 CNY

4 (1.4%)

3 (1.0%)

5000–12,000 CNY

32 (11.5%)

33 (11.3%)

≥ 12,000 CNY

109 (39.2%)

144 (49.1%)

Unknown or refuse to answer

133 (47.8%)

113 (38.6%)

 Earlier puberty onset during follow-up, n(%)

69 (24.8%)

75 (25.6%)

0.831

Gender trait scores

Children’s gender trait scores in visit 1, median (IQR)

 Masculinity trait scores

2.82 (0.82)

2.88 (0.76)

0.156

 Femininity trait scores

2.87 (0.80)

3.13 (0.67)

< 0.001

Children’s gender trait scores in visit 5, median (IQR)

 Masculinity trait scores

2.76 (0.71)

2.82 (0.76)

0.163

 Femininity trait scores

2.87 (0.67)

3.07 (0.67)

0.737

Changes of children’s gender trait scores, mean ± SD

 Changes of Masculinity trait scores

0.13 ± 1.08

-0.06 ± 0.59

< 0.001

 Changes of Femininity trait scores

0.18 ± 1.22

-0.07 ± 0.59

< 0.001