People exercise on treadmills at a gym in Seoul on April 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 30 (Korea Bizwire) — With the COVID-19 pandemic putting restrictions on outdoor activities, the number of South Koreans who are having difficulty managing their weight is increasing.
The Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KOSSO) conducted a survey of 1,000 men and women over 20 years of age across the country to compare changes in weight and life habits before (January 2020) and after (March 2021) COVID-19 outbreak.
At 46 percent, almost half of the respondents said that their weight increased by more than 3 kilograms after the onset of the coronavirus. The share of those who said their weight increased was higher for women (51 percent) than men (42 percent).
The primary factor behind the weight increase was a decrease in daily activities (56 percent), followed by a decrease in exercise at 31 percent and changes in dietary patterns.
The KOSSO estimated that the main factor behind the weight increase was the decrease in outdoor activities resulting from the prolonged pandemic.
In fact, as the COVID-19 pandemic prolongs, the amount of physical exercise has declined, while the amount of time spent watching videos indoors increased.
The share of those who said they exercise three or four times a week fell from 28 percent to 15 percent, while the percentage of those who said they exercise more than five times a week declined from 15 percent to 9 percent.
In contrast, the share of those who said they rarely exercise rose from 18 percent to 32 percent.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
