South Korean society has long believed that taller people are more likely to succeed in life, prompting many parents to do whatever it takes, the Nikkei Asia website reported Monday, try to make the child grow taller. This social level of“Height bias” and its related unscientific behavior caused people to worry about children’s physical and mental health.
The strong attachment of Korean parents to their children’s height is not only related to their appearance, but also closely related to social competition and employment pressure. Height restrictions have been common in many jobs in South Korea in the past, the report said. Before 2007, for example, men needed to be at least 167 centimeters tall for a police job, and women at least 157 centimeters. Until 2014, Korean Air required female flight attendants to be at least 162 centimeters tall. Although height restrictions have now been lifted in some occupations, many parents still believe that height is a competitive factor in employment and social interaction.
In August, ?da 2023 the country’s first child height subsidy bill, which aims to promote children’s health, a total of 3.7 billion won (100 won) is expected to be allocated annually to provide height-related tests for primary school students. The bill has been criticised by many for encouraging people to put appearance above all else, and has sparked fierce debate.
At the same time, advertisements in South Korea for“Height-enhancing” products and treatments have also emerged, especially in Korean hospitals, pharmacies and educational institutions. In March alone, 259 ads related to children’s height were reported on the Internet in South Korea.
South Korean parents have even paid their own money to let normally developing children receive injections of growth hormone at a cost of about 100,000 won each time, the joongang Ilbo newspaper reported. The market for growth hormone injections in South Korea has almost tripled from WON148.8 bn in 2019 to WON444.4 bn in the 2023 as injections for children are becoming more common. There are also increasing reports of side effects from growth hormone injections. The The Hankyoreh reported 1,626 serious side effects in the 2023, up from 436 in 2019.
Some medical experts suggest that excessive use of growth hormone may lead to hand and foot deformities, scoliosis and other problems. For growing children, it’s more helpful to develop proper habits, such as proper exercise and adequate sleep.