Nutritional Survey of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Nutritional Survey of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Rome (Italy): World Food Programme (WFP), 1999.

English

13 p.

WFPWFP433

The first nationwide random sample nutritional survey ever undertaken in North Korea was carried out from 23 September to 16 October 1998 by the World Food Programme, UNICEF and the European Union in collaboration with the Government of the DPRK (North Korea). The survey's findings — that children in North Korea suffered from the highest malnutrition rates in East Asia — sparked widespread concern for both the present and long-term effects on the health of these children. The "Nutrition Survey of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" was conducted on children between six months and seven years of age in order to obtain baseline reference data for evaluations of the impact of humanitarian programmes implemented by the Government and its international partners. The 1998 survey covered 130 counties (of a total of 212) in eight of North Korea's nine provinces, including all three major cities (Pyongyang, Nampo and Wonson). At all stages, the sample was randomly selected. The survey covered 71 percent of the country's population, or more than 15 million people, of which 2.1 million were younger than seven years. A total of 1800 children were measured. Eighteen teams, each led by an international staff member from one of the three agencies, recorded the children's height, weight and date of birth. The children's nutritional levels were compared to the international standards used by UN agencies and others for interpreting data on human growth.

WFP 433

English