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KMID : 1130320080510090950
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Korean Journal of Pediatrics
2008 Volume.51 No. 9 p.950 ~ p.955
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Prevalence and trends in obesity among Korean children and adolescents in 1997 and 2005
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Oh Kyung-Won
Lee Jong-Guk
Kim Young-Taek
Jang Myong-Jin
Yoo Myung-Hwan
Moon Jin-Soo
Lee Na-Yeoun
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Abstract
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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.
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KEYWORD
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Obesity, Overweight, Body mass index, Children and adolescents, Growth chart
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