Nutritional status of Vietnamese female marriage immigrants to Korea in relation to length of residence in Korea.
OBJECTIVE
It was the aim of this study to assess the nutritional status of Vietnamese immigrants to Korea through marriage and to examine the association between their nutritional status and their length of residence in Korea.


METHODS
A cross-sectional analysis of a prospective cohort study was performed with Vietnamese immigrant wives to Korea (n = 890).


RESULTS
The mean age and length of residence in Korea were 23.5 and 2.0 years, respectively. The mean body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were 20.9 and 0.82, respectively. Prevalence of underweight (BMI <18.5), overweight (BMI > or =25) and central obesity (WHR >0.85) were 18.3, 7.5 and 26.2%, respectively. As the length of residence in Korea increased, the prevalence of obesity and central obesity increased and the prevalence of underweight decreased. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was <10%. Daily food and daily nutrient intake, which was estimated by 1-day 24-hour recall, did not differ according to the length of residence in Korea.


CONCLUSIONS
BMI, WHR and blood profiles of most subjects were in the normal ranges. As the length of residence in Korea increased, the prevalence of obesity increased. The usual intake of the subjects needs to be estimated by other dietary assessment methods.
Lyu
Ji Eun
JE
Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Women's University, 11-1 Daehyun-Dong, Seoul, South Korea.
Yang
Yoon Jung
YJ
Lee
Sang Eun
SE
Chung
Hye Won
HW
Kim
Mi Kyung
MK
Kim
Wha Young
WY
D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008393:Marriage / Q000208:ethnology*; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000208:ethnology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014744:Vietnam / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult