S. Korean children, teens grow taller, mature faster than before: study

This image provided by the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards shows how male and female students in elementary, middle and high school have gotten taller in 2023 compared to 2013. (Korean Agency for Technology and Standards)

Children and teenagers in South Korea have not only gotten taller compared to 10 years ago but also tend to mature at an earlier age, a recent report from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy showed.

The ministry-affiliated Korean Agency for Technology and Standards conducted research on the body measurements of 1,118 South Koreans aged between 7 and 19, the results of which were presented at Lotte World Tower in southern Seoul on Thursday.

The report showed growth among all age groups and genders compared to the previous study conducted between 2011 and 2013. Male elementary school students went from 134.9 centimeters tall to 139.2 centimeters on average, middle school boys went from 157.9 centimeters to 165.3 centimeters, while male high school students went from 171 centimeters to 173.2 centimeters.

Elementary school girls went from 134.3 centimeters to 137.1 centimeters on average, female middle school students grew from 155.1 centimeters to 158.4 centimeters, while female students in high school went from 159.8 centimeters to 161.7 centimeters in the 10-year span.

Both male and female students reach their peak growth rate at an earlier age than before. The growth rate for boys peaks between 14 and 15 while that for girls peaks between 13 and 14, both of which are about two years earlier compared to 10 years ago.

The average height for high school students was actually slightly taller than the average height of adults in another recent survey, which followed other reports indicating that South Koreans are becoming taller.

The KATS conducted quinquennial body measurements of citizens aged between 20 and 69, and the 2022 results showed that South Korean men on average are 172.5 centimeters tall and women are 159.6 centimeters tall. The figures marked an increase of 6.4 centimeters for men and 5.3 centimeters for women, compared to 40 years ago.

Not only are South Korean youngsters becoming taller, they are also becoming stockier. The body mass index of both genders increased between 2013 and 2023: The average figure for boys went from 20.7 to 21.4, while that of girls went from 19.8 to 20.

The study showed that 20.7 percent of the boys had a BMI of at least 23, while 14.3 percent of the girls had a high BMI.

The average weight for both boys and girls in all age groups increased. The weight of boys in elementary, middle and high schools increased by 3 kilograms, 5.1 kilograms, and 4.4 kilograms, while the weight of girls in elementary, middle and high school girls increased by 1.1 kilograms, 1.3 kilograms and 2.8 kilograms, respectively.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)