Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the back shape of school children using the phase-shifting scanning grating projection moire interferometer, which was developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and is useful in evaluating three dimensional back shape. Methods : In this study the subjects consisted of 1,358 pupils [711 boys(52.36%), 647 girls(47.64%)] attending elementary and middle schools in Seoul. Their ages ranged from nine to fifteen and the average age was 12.2. With the phase-shifting scanning grating projection moire interferometer, the posterior view of the body were taken to see if there are correlations of moire fringe number, width difference between left and right, and correlation between differences in moire fringe number and width on both sides in the scapular, lumbar and gluteal regions. Results : The results were as follows : I. More frequent findings of fringe were observed on the right in all regions : in the scapular region, 309 boys(43.4%) and 156 girls(24.2%) had more fringe numbers on the right side; in the lumbar region, 68 boys(9.5%) and 11 girls(1.7%); and in the gluteal region, 160 boys(22.4%) and 63 girls(9.8%). Such tendency was striking especially in the scapular and lumbar regions, and in boys rather than in girls. In the scapula, 661 subjects(48.7%) with one moire fringe on either side need further attention and 110 subjects(8.I %) with two or more are required to do follow-up radiography for scoliosis. 2. In an analysis of width difference in the trunk, the left side is wider in all regions except for the gluteal region in boys : in the scapular region 21 boys(3.0%) and 103 girls(15.9%); in the lumbar region, 87 boys(12.2%) and 250 girls(38.6%); and in the gluteal region 197 girls(30.4%) had a wider left side and 45 boys(6.3%) showed a wider right side. 3. In correlation analysis of the number of moire fringe and width difference in each region, the side where more moire fringes were observed was significantly wider in the lumbar and gluteal regions, but not in the scapular region.(p<0.01) Conclusions : From these results, it is concluded that the back shape of elementary and middle school students in Seoul shows that the right side had more moire fringes; the left side was wider; and especially in the lumbar and gluteal regions the side where more moire fringes were observed was wider.