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Recent growth of children in the two Koreas: A meta-analysis

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  • Schwekendiek, Daniel
  • Pak, Sunyoung

Abstract

Height differences between the two Koreas were injected into the U.S. presidential debate. The purpose of this article is to report briefly the height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) differences between North and South Korean children by using previous sources and new data. This study employs South Korean data published by the Korean Research Institute for Standards and Science in 1997 and by the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards in 2004, comparing them to North Korean data stemming from the 1997 and 2002 nutritional surveys conducted by the United Nations. Furthermore, this article makes use of anthropometric measurements of North Korean refugee children immigrating to South Korea from 2000 to 2007. In 1997, South Korean preschool children were found on average to be 6-7cm (2-3in.) taller and about 3kg (6.6 pounds) heavier than their Northern counterparts; in 2002, the average gap was about 8cm (3in.) and 3kg (6.6 pounds), and the BMI gap was about 1. North Korean boys and girls escaping to South Korea were also found to be on average about 3-4cm (1-1.6in.) shorter and 1kg (2.2 pounds) lighter than their Southern peers.

Suggested Citation

  • Schwekendiek, Daniel & Pak, Sunyoung, 2009. "Recent growth of children in the two Koreas: A meta-analysis," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 109-112, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:7:y:2009:i:1:p:109-112
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Schwekendiek, Daniel, 2008. "Determinants of well-being in North Korea: Evidence from the post-famine period," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 6(3), pages 446-454, December.
    2. Schwekendiek, Daniel, 2008. "The North Korean standard of living during the famine," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(3), pages 596-608, February.
    3. repec:bla:germec:v:4:y:2003:i::p:459-473 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Komlos John & Kriwy Peter, 2003. "The Biological Standard of Living in the Two Germanies," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 4(4), pages 459-473, December.
    5. Pak, Sunyoung, 2004. "The biological standard of living in the two Koreas," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 511-518, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yoon Jung Kim & Sin Gon Kim & Yo Han Lee, 2018. "Prevalence of General and Central Obesity and Associated Factors among North Korean Refugees in South Korea by Duration after Defection from North Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-11, April.
    2. Alícia Adserà & Francesca Dalla Pozza & Sergei Guriev & Lukas Kleine-Rueschkamp & Elena Nikolova, 2021. "Height and well-being during the transition from plan to market," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 36(105), pages 77-120.
    3. Blum, Matthias, 2013. "The influence of inequality on the standard of living: Worldwide anthropometric evidence from the 19th and 20th centuries," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 436-452.
    4. Adserà, Alicia & Dalla Pozza, Francesca & Guriev, Sergei & Kleine-Rueschkamp, Lukas & Nikolova, Elena, 2019. "Transition, height and well-being," GLO Discussion Paper Series 404, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Jun, Seong Ho & Lewis, James B. & Schwekendiek, Daniel, 2017. "The biological standard of living in pre-modern Korea: Determinants of height of militia recruits during the Chosŏn dynasty," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 104-110.
    6. Pak, Sunyoung, 2010. "The growth status of North Korean refugee children and adolescents from 6 to 19 years of age," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 385-395, December.
    7. Ulijaszek, Stanley & Schwekendiek, Daniel, 2013. "Intercontinental differences in overweight of adopted Koreans in the United States and Europe," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 345-350.
    8. Syngjoo Choi & Byung-Yeon Kim & Jungmin Lee & Sokbae Lee, 2021. "Why North Korean Refugees are Reluctant to Compete: The Roles of Cognitive Ability," Papers 2108.08097, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2023.
    9. Syngjoo Choi & Byung-Yeon Kim & Jungmin Lee & Sokbae Lee, 2020. "Institutions, Competitiveness and Cognitive Ability," Working Paper Series no134, Institute of Economic Research, Seoul National University.
    10. Kodila-Tedika, Oasis & Rindermann, Heiner & Christainsen, Gregory, 2014. "Cognitive capital, governance, and the wealth of nations," MPRA Paper 57563, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Adsera, Alicia & Dalla Pozza, Francesca & Guriev, Sergei & Kleine-Rueschkamp, Lukas & Nikolova, Elena, 2019. "Transition from Plan to Market, Height and Well-Being," IZA Discussion Papers 12658, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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