Ann Pediatr Endocrinol Metab.  2021 Mar;26(1):38-45. 10.6065/apem.2040100.050.

Changes in anthropometric indices among Korean school students based on the 2010 and 2018 Korea School Health Examination Surveys

• Seo MY
• Kim SH
• Park MJ

• KMID: 2514151
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.6065/apem.2040100.050

Abstract

Purpose
This study sought to identify changes in anthropometric values among Korean school students by comparing the most recent nationwide data with previous data.
Methods
Data from the Korea School Health Examination Survey 2018 were used. The study population consisted of 107,954 Korean school students ranging from the 1st grade in elementary school through the 3rd year of high school. The difference in height and weight values for each sex and school grade was analyzed by comparison with the Korea School Health Examination Survey 2010.
Results
The mean heights of the 3rd-year high school students were 173.8 cm and 160.9 cm for boys and girls, respectively. The mean height of the 3rd-year high school students showed no difference between 2010 and 2018 for either sex. However, the mean height of the age group from the 3rd grade in elementary school through the 1st year in high school was significantly taller in 2018 compared to 2010 for both sexes. The mean weights of the 3rd-year high school students were 71.3 kg and 57.5 kg for boys and girls, respectively. The mean weight of students in 2018 was significantly higher compared to students in 2010 for most school grades.
Conclusion
Although no significant change was found in near-final height between 2010 and 2018 among high school seniors, the mean height during the growth spurt was significantly higher in 2018 compared to 2010. Weight was significantly higher in almost all school grades in 2018 compared to 2010.

Keyword

Anthropometry; Growth charts; Height; Weight; Body mass index; Students; Korea

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Comparisons of mean height and weight of Korean school students by sex and school grade between Korea School Health Examination Surveys (KSHES) from 2010 and 2018. (A) Mean height for boys, (B) mean weight for boys, (C) mean height for girls, and (D) mean weight for girls. Es, elementary school; Gr, grade; Ms, middle school; Hs, high school. *P<0.05. **P<0.001.

Reference

References

1. Granados A, Gebremariam A, Lee JM. Relationship between timing of peak height velocity and pubertal staging in boys and girls. J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol. 2015; 7:235–7.

2. Moon JS, Lee SY, Nam CM, Choi JM, Choe BK, Seo JW, et al. 2007 Korean National Growth Charts: review of developmental process and an outlook. Korean J Pediatr. 2008; 51:1–25.

3. Kim SH, Huh K, Won S, Lee KW, Park MJ. A Significant Increase in the Incidence of Central Precocious Puberty among Korean Girls from 2004 to 2010. PLoS One. 2015; 10:e0141844.

4. Kim YJ, Kwon A, Jung MK, Kim KE, Suh J, Chae HW, et al. Incidence and prevalence of central precocious puberty in Korea: an epidemiologic study based on a National Database. J Pediatr. 2019; 208:221–8.

5. Kim JH, Yun S, Hwang SS, Shim JO, Chae HW, Lee YJ, et al. The 2017 Korean National Growth Charts for children and adolescents: development, improvement, and prospects. Korean J Pediatr. 2018; 61:135–49.

6. Ministry of Education and Korea Educational Environments Protection Agency. The Korea School Health Examination Survey (KSHES) 2018 [Internet]. Cheongju (Korea): Ministry of Education and Korea Educational Environments Protection Agency;[cited 2019 Nov 13]. Available from: http://www.schoolhealth.kr.

7. Kim JY, Oh IH, Lee EY, Choi KS, Choe BK, Yoon TY, et al. Anthropometric changes in children and adolescents from 1965 to 2005 in Korea. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2008; 136:230–6.

8. Moon JS. Secular trends of body sizes in Korean children and adolescents: from 1965 to 2010. Korean J Pediatr. 2011; 54:436–42.

9. Zellner K, Jaeger U, Kromeyer-Hauschild K. Height, weight and BMI of schoolchildren in Jena, Germany--are the secular changes levelling off? Econ Hum Biol. 2004; 2:281–94.

10. Hauspie RC, Vercauteren M, Susanne C. Secular changes in growth and maturation: an update. Acta Paediatr Suppl. 1997; 423:20–7.

11. Chae HW, Suh I, Kwon AR, Kim YJ, Kim YH, Kang DR, et al. Longitudinal standards for height and height velocity in Korean children and adolescents: the Kangwha study. [corrected]. J Korean Med Sci. 2013; 28:1512–7.

12. Sørensen K, Mouritsen A, Aksglaede L, Hagen CP, Mogensen SS, Juul A. Recent secular trends in pubertal timing: implications for evaluation and diagnosis of precocious puberty. Horm Res Paediatr. 2012; 77:137–45.

13. Kim SH, Park MJ. Childhood obesity and pubertal development. Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr. 2012; 15:151–9.

14. Park MJ, Lee IS, Shin EK, Joung H, Cho SI. The timing of sexual maturation and secular trends of menarchial age in Korean adolescents. Korean J Pediatr. 2006; 49:610–6.