| ID | 124585 |
| Title Proper | From pre- to post-famine |
| Other Title Information | trends in underweight among North Korean children, 1987-2012 |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Schwekendiek, Daniel |
| Publication | 2013. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Purpose-In the 1990s, North Korea experienced a national crisis that evolved into a famine. This paper explores the trends in underweight among preschool children measured from the pre- to the post-famine period.
Design-This research employs nutrition surveys carried out in North Korea in 1987, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009 and 2012.
Findings-This paper shows that the country now has reached a pre-crisis level, indicating that children today are faring as well as they were during the Cold War. However, underweight rates are 24 times higher in North Korea compared to South Korea. More important, the UN targets an underweight rate of 9 percent in East Asia, but the rate is as high as 15 percent in North Korea, implying that further efforts are needed.
Originality-This paper provides rare evidence on the long-term trend in underweight among North Korean children. This is also the first paper that compares underweight rates of contemporary North Korean children with their South Korean peers. |
| `In' analytical Note | North Korean Review Vol. 9, No.2; Fall 2013: p.59-68 |
| Journal Source | North Korean Review Vol. 9, No.2; Fall 2013: p.59-68 |
| Key Words | Child Malnutrition ; Famine ; Food Aid ; Living Standards ; Market Reforms ; North Korea ; South Korea |