Fig. 1Correlations between the duration of stay in South Korea and body weight North Korean refugees according to their age and sex. (A) Male, (B) female under 50 years old, and (C) female over 50 years old.
Table 1Demographic Characteristics
Characteristic |
No. (%) |
Sex |
|
Male |
25 (16) |
Female |
133 (84) |
Age, yr |
|
20-39 |
34 (22) |
40-59 |
102 (65) |
≥60 |
22 (14) |
Duration of stay in South Korea |
|
Mean±SD |
4.1±3.1 |
≤5 |
110 (70) |
>5 |
48 (30) |
Duration of stay in 3rd country |
|
Mean±SD |
5.8±4.3 |
Direct entry |
54 (34) |
≤5 |
79 (50) |
>5 |
25 (16) |
Occupation in South Korea |
|
No |
110 (70) |
Yes |
48 (30) |
Academic level in North Korea |
|
Middle-high school |
99 (63) |
College |
59 (37) |
Table 2Comparisons of Body Composition between North Korean Refugees and South Korean Controls
Variable |
Male |
Female |
North Korean refugees |
South Korean |
P value |
North Korean refugees |
South Korean |
P value |
Number |
25 |
75 |
|
25 |
75 |
|
Age, yr |
48.2±14.4 |
48.2±14.6 |
1.000 |
48.3±10.8 |
48.1±11.2 |
0.924 |
Height, cm |
155.9±6.4 |
171.3±7.1 |
<0.001 |
157.1±6.1 |
158.8±5.5 |
0.005 |
Weight, kg |
54.9±6.6 |
73.8±13.8 |
<0.001 |
56.6±8.3 |
58.8±8.4 |
0.010 |
Muscle mass, kg |
20.7±3.4 |
31.5±4.8 |
<0.001 |
21.4±3.7 |
21.5±2.6 |
0.737 |
Body fat mass, kg |
16.4±5.4 |
17.8±7.8 |
0.340 |
17.2±5.7 |
18.9±6.0 |
0.003 |
Body mass index, kg/m2
|
22.9±3.1 |
25.1±3.9 |
0.007 |
22.9±2.8 |
23.4±3.2 |
0.146 |
Body surface area, m2
|
1.54±0.11 |
1.86±0.19 |
<0.001 |
1.56±0.19 |
1.61±0.12 |
0.001 |
Waist hip ratio |
0.84±0.04 |
0.90±0.07 |
<0.001 |
0.86±0.05 |
0.87±0.09 |
0.024 |
Table 3Comparisons of Body Composition between Female North Korean Refugees and Female South Korean Controls
Variable |
Young (ages <50) |
Old (ages ≥50) |
North Korean refugees |
South Korean |
P value from ANOVA |
North Korean refugees |
South Korean |
P value from ANOVA |
<4 yra
|
≥4 yra
|
<4 yra
|
≥4 yra
|
Number |
45 |
30 |
191 |
|
26 |
31 |
171 |
|
Age, yr |
40.1±7.8 |
42.2±4.3 |
39.6±6.8 |
0.145 |
57.3±6.6 |
58.5±6.9 |
57.6±6.3 |
0.763 |
Height, cm |
156.4±6.7b
|
157.2±5.7b
|
160.5±5.2 |
<0.001 |
157.4±6.2 |
157.9±5.6 |
156.8±5.2 |
0.544 |
Weight, kg |
55.2±8.4b
|
57.9±8.8c
|
59.1±8.9 |
0.031 |
57.3±9.3 |
57.0±6.7 |
58.6±7.7 |
0.459 |
Muscle mass, kg |
21.2±3.7 |
21.2±3.7 |
21.9±2.6 |
0.179 |
21.3±3.8 |
21.9±3.6 |
21.0±2.6 |
0.256 |
Fat mass, kg |
16.0±5.2b
|
18.6±5.5c
|
18.5±6.4 |
0.048 |
17.9±6.1b
|
16.7±6.1b
|
19.4±5.5 |
0.032 |
Body mass index, kg/m2
|
22.5±2.6 |
23.4±3.0 |
23.0±3.6 |
0.530 |
23.0±2.8 |
22.9±2.8 |
23.8±2.8 |
0.132 |
Body surface area, m2
|
1.5±0.1b
|
1.5±0.3b
|
1.6±0.1 |
0.002 |
1.6±0.2 |
1.6±0.1 |
1.6±0.1 |
0.683 |
Waist hip ratio |
0.85±0.05 |
0.86±0.05 |
0.87±0.06 |
0.089 |
0.86±0.05 |
0.85±0.04 |
0.88±0.11 |
0.323 |
Table 4Comparisons of the Mean Hand Grip Strength between North Korean Refugees and South Korean Controls
|
Age, yr |
North Korean refugees |
South Korean controlsa
|
P valueb
|
P valuec
|
No. |
Right, kg |
Left, kg |
No. |
Right, kg |
Left, kg |
Male |
20-79 |
25 |
33.2±10.1 |
33.7±8.9 |
33 |
43.0±11.4 |
42.5±10.7 |
0.001 |
0.001 |
Female |
20-49 |
76 |
19.4±6.6 |
18.0±5.7 |
123 |
27.3±4.2 |
25.6±4.3 |
<0.001 |
<0.001 |
50-79 |
57 |
19.0±5.3 |
18.1±4.6 |
52 |
25.1±5.0 |
23.5±5.2 |
<0.001 |
<0.001 |