Status of Early Childhood and Maternal Nutrition in South Korea and North Korea

남북한 영유아 및 가임기 여성의 영양상태 비교

  • Shim, Jae-Eun (Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University) ;
  • Yoon, Ji-Hyun (Department of Food and Nutrition & Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University) ;
  • Jeong, Seong-Yeon (Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University) ;
  • Park, Mi-Na (Department of Food and Nutrition & Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University) ;
  • Lee, Yeon-Sook (Department of Food and Nutrition & Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University)
  • 심재은 (서울대학교 생활과학연구소) ;
  • 윤지현 (서울대학교 식품영양학과 & 생활과학연구소) ;
  • 정승연 (서울대학교 생활과학연구소) ;
  • 박미나 (서울대학교 식품영양학과 & 생활과학연구소) ;
  • 이연숙 (서울대학교 식품영양학과 & 생활과학연구소)
  • Published : 2007.04.30

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the nutritional status of children aged 5 or under and women aged 20 to 34 years between the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea (DPRK: North Korea). For the source of nutritional status of North Koreans, the DPRK 2004 Nutrition Assessment-Report of Survey Results was used. As the comparable data of South Koreans, the anthropometric data for children and women were obtained from the reports of the Korean Pediatric Society and the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, respectively. The blood hemoglobin data of South Korean women were obtained from the data file of the 2001 National Health and Nutrition Survey and analyzed. In regard to the North Korea, the Prevalence of underweight (weight for age Z-score < -2.0) in children under 12 months was about $10\sim15%$, and thereafter progressively increased until 30 to 35 months reaching 30%. In South Korea, the prevalence of underweight was less than 3% in most age groups both in boys and girls. In North Korea, the prevalence of stunting (height for age Z-score < -2.0) reached 20% in children under 12 months and increased with age over the level of 50% in children aged 54 to 59 months. In South Korea, the prevalence of stunting was less than 3% in children under 12 months and was less than 10% throughout the age groups. Maternal protein-energy malnutrition and anemia were assessed for the women aged 20 to 34 years using mid-upper arm circumference (< 22.5 cm) and blood hemoglobin level (< 12g/DL), respectively. The prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition was 39.6%, 30.7%, 31.7% in North Korea and 12.5%, 5.0%, 1.5% in South Korea fir the women in $20\sim24,\;25\sim29,\;30\sim34$ years, respectively. The prevalence of anemia in the North Korean women was about $34\sim36%$ while that in the South Korean women was $15\sim18%$. In conclusion, the disparity of nutritional status in early childhood and maternity between South Korea and North Korea is so huge that active and well-planned nutrition support policy and programs for women and children in North Korea is imperative to prepare for the future unified nation.

Keywords

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