Source: UNICEF
Date: 20 Feb 2003


Child nutrition survey shows improvements in DPRK, but UN
agencies concerned about holding onto gains

PYONGYANG/GENEVA, 20 February 2003 -- Malnutrition rates
among children in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK) have improved considerably over the past four years,
according to a new survey, but the UN agencies that announced
the findings today said the gains could be lost if
international support for humanitarian assistance to the
country continues to slacken.
The assessment -- the largest of its kind ever to be
undertaken in the DPRK -- covered both child and maternal
nutrition and was carried out last October by the
government's Central Bureau of Statistics and Institute of
Child Nutrition, in collaboration with UNICEF and the World
Food Programme.

The two UN agencies said although the new assessment is not
strictly comparable with an earlier survey carried out in
1998, clear positive trends are discernible:

The proportion of children underweight (weight-for-age) has
fallen from 61 percent in 1998 to 21 percent in 2002


Wasting, or acute malnutrition (weight-for-height), has
fallen from 16 percent to 9 percent


Stunting, or chronic malnutrition (height-for-age), has
dropped from 62 percent to 42 percent.

The Government of DPRK attributed the improvement in part to
the substantial humanitarian assistance provided by the
international community in recent years. The exceptionally
high levels of malnutrition recorded in 1998 also reflected
the famine conditions that prevailed in the DPRK in the mid
1990s.
"The results are very encouraging and our assistance is
clearly reaching the people intended with positive effect,"
said Kenzo Oshima, Under Secretary-General of the United
Nations for Humanitarian Affairs.

The assessment also provided the first objective analysis of
differing vulnerability across the country. Stunting among
children in Nampo City was 25 percent, for example, compared
to 48 percent in South Hamgyong Province. The wasting rate in
Pyongyang, the capital, was just under 4 percent, against 12
percent in South Hamgyong. The survey found similar patterns
in food availability and the incidence of childhood
diarrhoea.

UNICEF and WFP said such patterns confirmed their
observations from field monitoring that the northeastern
provinces are more vulnerable than other parts of the
country.

Malnourished Mothers

A further important finding was that about one-third of
mothers are malnourished and anaemic. "This is certainly a
crucial factor contributing to child malnutrition," said
Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF. "Among other
things, the survey proves yet again how important a mother's
health and nutritional status is to that of her children."

Though child malnutrition has fallen considerably, according
to the survey, the two agencies said there is still "great
cause for concern."

According to World Health Organization criteria, the wasting
rates are still "high", and the stunting rates are "very
high." Moreover, the recent slump in external donations for
food, medical and other assistance could compromise the
gains.

"The crisis is not over. If the UN can't provide more
medicine and food -- and quickly -- we will see malnutrition
rates rise again, undoing much of the progress that has been
made," warned James T. Morris, WFP Executive Director.

UNICEF and WFP staff working in the DPRK participated in the
data collection teams for the assessment. In addition,
experts from the UK's Centre for International Child Health
and the Bangkok-based Thailand Health Foundation provided
support for survey design, training and verification of
statistical accuracy. The two independent bodies pronounced
it a credible and accurate assessment.

The survey covered children under seven years of age and
their mothers, from 6,000 randomly selected households in 10
of the country's 12 provinces and municipalities. The
youngest child from each household was weighed and measured,
and the mother's nutritional condition was assessed. In
addition, questions were asked about factors that could
influence nutrition, such as food availability, child feeding
and care, and health status.