One in six South Korean students is obese. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 11 (Korea Bizwire) — One in six South Korean students is obese, and half of these obese students show at least one risk factor for metabolic syndrome, including diabetes or hypertension, according to a comprehensive new study. The research also revealed that 20% of obese students are prediabetic.
The National Health Insurance Service Research Institute’s study on “Strengthening Medical Services for Childhood and Adolescent Obesity Prevention” analyzed data from infant health screenings, student health examinations, and out-of-school youth checkups. The findings paint a concerning picture of youth health in South Korea.
The 2023 data shows an obesity prevalence rate of 8.3% among infants and young children, and 16.7% among students. This translates to one in 12 infants and one in six school-age children being obese. When including both overweight and obese categories, the rates climb to 17.7% for young children and 27.3% for students.
The research team conducted a separate analysis of metabolic syndrome risk factors among obese students, using blood test results from school health screenings. The findings were stark: 16.4% of obese students were found to be in the pre-hypertension stage, while 6.5% showed signs of hypertension.
The metabolic health indicators among obese students revealed additional concerns. About 20.2% were classified as prediabetic, with 1.1% showing indicators of diabetes. For blood lipid disorders, 33.3% of obese students had borderline total cholesterol levels, while 15.9% reached dangerous levels. Perhaps most alarmingly, 39.1% of obese students showed risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
“Obese children face increased risks of various complications, including hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia,” said Ryu In-hyuk, a professor in department of pediatrics at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital. “We’re increasingly seeing these conditions emerge during adolescence, before students reach adulthood.”
However, Ryu emphasized that medication should not be the first line of treatment for childhood and adolescent obesity, even when complications are present. “Rather than aggressively pursuing weight loss, the key to treatment lies in properly improving dietary and lifestyle habits,” he said.
The study underscores the growing concern about youth obesity in South Korea, where half of all obese students (50.5%) are suspected of having at least one risk factor for metabolic syndrome. Medical experts stress that proper management of these conditions is crucial, even during childhood and adolescence, to prevent long-term health complications.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
