Endocrinol Metab.  2015 Dec;30(4):551-556. 10.3803/EnM.2015.30.4.551.

Characteristics of Body Composition and Muscle Strength of North Korean Refugees during South Korean Stay

• Cho SW
• Lee SH
• Koh ES
• Kim SE
• Kim SJ

• KMID: 2169665
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2015.30.4.551

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of body composition and muscle strength of North Korean refugees (NKRs) according to their duration of stay in South Korea.
METHODS
NKRs who volunteered and were living in South Korea, aged 20 to 75 years were recruited. Body compositions were analyzed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Muscle strength was measured with the hand grip test. Demographic and migration information was obtained with a questionnaire.
RESULTS
A total of 158 volunteers were recruited at a mean age of 48.3+/-11.4 years. The mean time from when they escaped from North Korea and arrived in South Korea was 5.8+/-4.3 years. Height, weight, and body surface area were significantly smaller in all NKRs compared to South Korean controls, except for women aged over 50 years. In females of younger ages (<50 years), NKRs with more than a 4-year stay in South Korea had a higher weight and fat mass than that of those who had a shorter stay (less than 4 years) in South Korea. All NKRs had a weaker grip strength than that of the age-matched controls from South Korea.
CONCLUSION
The NKRs showed relatively smaller physiques and weaker muscle strength than that of the South Korean controls. In younger female NKRs, shorter South Korean stay group showed small body weight and fat mass than that of longer South Korean stay group. Specific health support programs might be needed.

Keyword

North Korean refugees; Body composition; Muscle strength

MeSH Terms

Body Composition*
Body Surface Area
Body Weight
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Electric Impedance
Female
Hand
Hand Strength
Humans
Korea
Muscle Strength*
Refugees*
United Nations
Volunteers

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Correlations between the duration of stay in South Korea and body weight North Korean refugees according to their age and sex. (A) Male, (B) female under 50 years old, and (C) female over 50 years old.

Reference

1. Haggard S, Noland M. Famine in North Korea: margets, aids, and reform. New York: Columbia University Press;2007.

2. Ministry of Unification. Current status of North Korean refugees' resettlement [Internet]. Seoul: Ministry of Unification;2015. cited 2015 Nov 10. Available from: http://www.unikorea.go.kr.

3. Jeon BH, Kim MD, Hong SC, Kim NR, Lee CI, Kwak YS, et al. Prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among North Korean defectors living in South Korea for more than one year. Psychiatry Investig. 2009; 6:122–130.

4. Jeon WT, Yu SE, Cho YA, Eom JS. Traumatic experiences and mental health of North Korean refugees in South Korea. Psychiatry Investig. 2008; 5:213–220.

5. Jeon WT, Eom JS, Min SK. A 7-year follow-up study on the mental health of North Korean defectors in South Korea. J Trauma Stress. 2013; 26:158–164.

6. Noh JW, Kwon YD, Yu S, Park H, Woo JM. A study of mental health literacy among North Korean refugees in South Korea. J Prev Med Public Health. 2015; 48:62–71.

7. Yu SE, Eom JS, Jeon WT. The factors affecting the development of national identity as South korean in north korean refugees living in South Korea. Psychiatry Investig. 2012; 9:209–216.

8. Yu SE, Jeon WT. Mental health of north korean refugees in protective facilities in china. Psychiatry Investig. 2008; 5:70–77.

9. Li S, Shen C, Choi MH, Bae YM, Yoon H, Hong ST. Status of intestinal helminthic infections of borderline residents in North Korea. Korean J Parasitol. 2006; 44:265–268.

10. Choi CM, June JH, Kang CI, Park JT, Oh SY, Lee JB, et al. Tuberculosis among Dislocated North Koreans Entering Republic of Korea since 1999. J Korean Med Sci. 2007; 22:963–967.

11. Haidar SG, Kumar D, Bassi RS, Deshmukh SC. Average versus maximum grip strength: which is more consistent? J Hand Surg Br. 2004; 29:82–84.

12. Mathiowetz V, Kashman N, Volland G, Weber K, Dowe M, Rogers S. Grip and pinch strength: normative data for adults. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1985; 66:69–74.

13. Shim JH, Roh SY, Kim JS, Lee DC, Ki SH, Yang JW, et al. Normative measurements of grip and pinch strengths of 21st century korean population. Arch Plast Surg. 2013; 40:52–56.

14. Choi SK, Park SM, Joung H. Still life with less: North Korean young adult defectors in South Korea show continued poor nutrition and physique. Nutr Res Pract. 2010; 4:136–141.

15. Pak S. The growth status of North Korean refugee children and adolescents from 6 to 19 years of age. Econ Hum Biol. 2010; 8:385–395.

16. Pak S. The biological standard of living in the two Koreas. Econ Hum Biol. 2004; 2:511–521.

17. Hales CN, Barker DJ. Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus: the thrifty phenotype hypothesis. Diabetologia. 1992; 35:595–601.

18. Hales CN, Barker DJ. Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus: the thrifty phenotype hypothesis 1992. Int J Epidemiol. 2013; 42:1215–1222.

19. Wu SW, Wu SF, Liang HW, Wu ZT, Huang S. Measuring factors affecting grip strength in a Taiwan Chinese population and a comparison with consolidated norms. Appl Ergon. 2009; 40:811–815.

20. Kim TN, Park MS, Lim KI, Choi HY, Yang SJ, Yoo HJ, et al. Relationships between sarcopenic obesity and insulin resistance, inflammation, and vitamin D status: the Korean Sarcopenic Obesity Study. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2013; 78:525–532.

21. Kim TN, Park MS, Yang SJ, Yoo HJ, Kang HJ, Song W, et al. Prevalence and determinant factors of sarcopenia in patients with type 2 diabetes: the Korean Sarcopenic Obesity Study (KSOS). Diabetes Care. 2010; 33:1497–1499.

22. Lim S, Kim JH, Yoon JW, Kang SM, Choi SH, Park YJ, et al. Sarcopenic obesity: prevalence and association with metabolic syndrome in the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging (KLoSHA). Diabetes Care. 2010; 33:1652–1654.

23. Lee YH, Lee WJ, Kim YJ, Cho MJ, Kim JH, Lee YJ, et al. North Korean refugee health in South Korea (NORNS) study: study design and methods. BMC Public Health. 2012; 12:172.

24. Kyle UG, Bosaeus I, De Lorenzo AD, Deurenberg P, Elia M, Gomez JM, et al. Bioelectrical impedance analysis. Part I: review of principles and methods. Clin Nutr. 2004; 23:1226–1243.

25. Yu JH, Yim SH, Yu SH, Lee JY, Kim JD, Seo MH, et al. The relationship of body composition and coronary artery calcification in apparently healthy Korean adults. Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2013; 28:33–40.