Prevalence of Malnutrition and Obesity Among Children and Adolescents From Immigrant Families Living in Korea
10.21896/jkmch.2025.29.1.29
- Author:
Seong-Woo CHOI
1
;
So-Yeong KIM
;
Kyung-Ae PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Preventive Medicine, Chosun University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:
Journal of Korean Maternal and Child Health
2025;29(1):29-35
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Purpose:This study assessed the prevalence of malnutrition and obesity among children and adolescents from immigrant families living in Korea.
Methods:A total of 436 subjects (age: <18 years) from immigrant families were examined. The 2017 Korean National Growth Charts for Children and Adolescents were used to assess the malnutrition and obesity status of the subjects. Subjects with a height-for-age of <3rd percentile, weight-for-age of <5th percentile, body mass index (BMI)-for-age of <5th percentile, and BMI-for-age of ≥95th percentile were defined as stunted, underweight, wasted, and obese, respectively.
Results:The overall prevalence of stunted, underweight, wasted, and obese subjects was 5.5%, 9.0%, 8.8%, and 18.6%, respectively. Comparison of first- and second-generation immigrants revealed that the prevalence of malnutrition was higher in first-generation immigrants than in second-generation immigrants. Moreover, the prevalence of malnutrition and obesity in first-generation immigrants living in Korea for <5 years was not significantly different from that in first-generation immigrants living in Korea for ≥5 years. In addition, comparisons by family origin showed that children from Central Asian families had a higher prevalence of malnutrition than other children.
Conclusion:Children and adolescents from immigrant families still suffer from malnutrition after resettling in Korea. Therefore, nutritional programs should be provided to improve their malnutrition status.
