Prevalence and trends in obesity among Korean children and adolescents in 1997 and 2005.
10.3345/kjp.2008.51.9.950
- Author:
Kyungwon OH
1
;
Myoung Jin JANG
;
Na Yeoun LEE
;
Jin Soo MOON
;
Chong Guk LEE
;
Myung Hwan YOO
;
Young Taek KIM
Author Information
1. Division of Chronic Disease Surveillance, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Korea. ruyoung@cdc.go.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Obesity;
Overweight;
Body mass index;
Children and adolescents;
Growth chart
- MeSH:
Adolescent;
Aged;
Body Mass Index;
Child;
Growth Charts;
Humans;
Obesity;
Overweight;
Prevalence;
Public Health
- From:Korean Journal of Pediatrics
2008;51(9):950-955
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to provide current estimates of the prevalence and examine trends of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. METHODS: Height and weight measurements from 183,159 (112,974 in 1997, 70,185 in 2005) children and adolescents aged 2 to 18 years were obtained via the 1997 and 2005 National Growth Survey. Obesity among children and adolescents was defined as being at or above the 95th percentile of the gender-specific body mass index (BMI) for age in the 2007 Korean National Growth Charts or a BMI of 25 or higher; overweight was defined as being at or above the 85th percentile to less than the 95th percentile BMI. RESULTS: In 2005, 9.7% (11.3% for boys, 8.0% for girls) of South Korean children and adolescents were obese; 19.0% (19.7% for boys, 18.2% for girls) were overweight or obese. The overall prevalence of obesity increased from 5.8% in 1997 to 9.7% in 2005 (from 6.1% in 1997 to 11.3% in 2005 for boys and from 5.5% in 1997 to 8.0% in 2005 for girls); the increasing trend was most evident in boys, especially those aged 13-18 years. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents increased significantly during the eight-year period from 1997 to 2005. This study suggests that we need to make a priority of developing strategies to control obesity in children and adolescents; the potential health effects of increases in obesity are of considerable public health importance.
