J Korean Soc Matern Child Health.  2022 Jan;26(1):20-26. 10.21896/jksmch.2022.26.1.20.

Comparison of Growth and Nutritional Status between Children in North Korean Refugee Families and South Korean Children

• Park KA
• Choi SW

• KMID: 2525368
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21896/jksmch.2022.26.1.20

Abstract

Purpose
This study aims to compare the growth and nutritional status of the children in North Korean Refugee (NKR) families and South Korean (SK) children.
Methods
This study examined 101 children of NKR families and 294 SK children. Researchers interviewed subjects using a standardized questionnaire and measured their height and weight. The nutritional status of children was estimated using the 2017 Korean National Growth Charts for children and adolescents using their weight.
Results
The children of NKR families were significantly shorter than the SK children (140.8±10.1 vs. 146.9±9.3, p<0.001) and weighed less (38.1±9.4 vs. 42.0±9.5, p<0.001). The prevalence of stunting and being underweight among children of NKR families was significantly higher than that of the SK children (stunting: 6.9% vs. 1.4%, p<0.001; underweight: 10.9% vs. 1.0%, p<0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of wasting and obesity.
Conclusion
Although children of NKR families have been living in SK for 4.4 years, their nutritional problems are more severe than those of SK children.

Keyword

Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Refugees, Child, Nutritional status

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Prevalence of stunting, underweight, wasting, and obesity between Children in North Korean refugee (NKR) families and South Korea (SK) children. Stunting is defined as height for age z-score <-2.0; Underweight is defined as weight for age z-score <-2.0; Wasting is defined as weight for height z-score <-2.0; Obesity is defined as body mass index for age z-score >2.0.

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