The growth status of North Korean refugee children in China

This paper is an assessment of the growth status of SS North Korean refugee children 3 to 18 years old residing in a Sino-North Korean border area. Body measurements were taken during visits made from 26 July to 5 August 1999 and from 21 January to 28 January 2000. The growth status was assessed by comparing refugee children's height and weight with both the NCHS growth reference curves and South Korean means. The raw data on weights and heights were converted into anthropometric indices (Z-scores of weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height) relative to NCHS reference values. Most of the children have Z-scores of below -2 for height (mean HAZ: -2.63) and between -2 and -1 for weight (mean WAZ: -1.81). The percentage of the children who are retarded in height (% < -2 HAZ: 70.9) is much higher than that of those retarded in weight (% < -2 WAZ: 27.3). These children are more stunted than underweighted. They are also 1.8 to 24.2 cm shorter and weigh .1 to 18.9 kg less than their South Korean peers. The difference in height has a tendency to increase in adolescence.