(image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — There is a strong correlation between income levels and the incidence of diabetes in South Korea, a study showed Sunday.
A collaborative research group consisting of the Catholic University Bucheon St. Mary’s Hospital, Soongsil University and Korea University Guro Hospital classified 7.82 million adults aged between 30 and 64, who did not have type 2 diabetes, according to their income levels in 2012.
The group then tracked and observed them until 2019.
The data revealed that the likelihood of developing diabetes was about 22 percent higher among those in the low-income group compared to those who were never part of this group.
The risk of diabetes escalated by 57 percent within the extremely low-income category under the same conditions.
The study also examined the link between the frequency of income reduction and the incidence of diabetes.
The research team highlighted that financial difficulties could easily lead to stress, which in turn might result in unhealthy habits like smoking or reduced physical activity.
Additionally, the team observed that individuals with lower incomes tended to consume relatively inexpensive, calorie-dense, and high-fat foods, often missing opportunities for regular medical checkups and appropriate healthcare due to reduced access to medical services.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
