TITLE:
Factors associated with obesity among Korean adolescents
AUTHORS:
Gyu Jin Heo, So Young Nam, Soo-Kyung Lee
KEYWORDS:
Obesity; Risk Factors; Korea; Adolescent
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.5 No.8,
August
7,
2013
ABSTRACT: Obesity has been a great interest of public
health. Studies simultaneously examining various factors associated with
obesity among adolescents have been limited. Therefore, this study aimed to
examine how various factors (socio-economic status, sex, age, diet, and
physical activity) were simultaneously associated with obesity among Korean
adolescents. This study analyzed two nationally representative datasets: 2008
Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination and Survey (KNHANES) and 2008
Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS). A total of 900 adolescents
(12-18 year-old) in KNHANES and 74,451 adolescents in KYRBWS were included in
statistical analyses with SPSS 19.0. Overweight (5.7%) and obesity (13.9%)
rates were determined in KNHANES, and KYRBWS showed somewhat lower rates. No
significant associations between the various factors and obesity were found
in KNHANES. However, the analysis of KYRBWS confirmed higher obesity risk for
boys, lower economic status, inferquent
high-energy/low-nutrient type food consumption, practicing
moderate-intensity physical activity less than five days per week, spending more than 2 hours sitting per day, and having tried exercise or diet for weight control (p ciations were mostly not significant in
KNHANES. It seemed that obese adolescents tried to practice good dietary
behaviors, but not necessarily physical activity, known to reduce obesity risk.
Obesity policies should continue to help adolescents achieve an active
lifestyle and healthy eating behaviors.