• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.150-157
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• 2024

The prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity has increased and exacerbated during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, both in Korea and globally. Childhood and adolescent obesity poses significant risks for premature morbidity and mortality. The development of serious comorbidities depends not only on the duration of obesity but also on the age of onset. Obesity in children and adolescents affects almost all organ systems, including the endocrine, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, reproductive, nervous, and immune systems. Obesity in children and adolescents affects growth, cognitive function, and psychosocial interactions during development, in addition to aggravating known adult comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and cancer. Childhood and adolescent obesity are highly associated with increased cardiometabolic risk factors and prevalence of metabolic syndrome. The risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in later life can be considerably decreased by even a small weight loss before the onset of puberty. Childhood and adolescent obesity is a disease that requires treatment and is associated with many comorbidities and disease burdens. Therefore, early detection and therapeutic intervention are crucial.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.12 no.sup1
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• pp.118-126
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• 2009

The incidence of childhood obesity has increased dramatically. Childhood obesity is an increasing health problem because of its strong associations with chronic health problems in children and adults. These health problems significantly contribute to the development of common chronic diseases in later life, including hypertension, type2 diabetes, hyperinsulinemia, coronary heart disease, and other psychological disorders. So it is an important issue to prevent and treat obesity during childhood and adolescent. Diet and exercise are the cornerstones of treatment for obesity and related complications. For obese children, some clinical trials have shown improvement with diet, exercise, and /or behavioral interventions. Promising interventions for high-risk individuals, such as bariatric surgery and novel pharmacological agents, also require rigorous assessment with attention to long-term patient important outcomes. There are various pharmacological approaches to the treatment of obesity in the adolescent population some of which have FDA approval. In the article we discuss pharmacological approaches to guide the treatment of obesity in the pediatric population, including risks of treatment, monitoring of potential side effects.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.113-125
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• 2003

Background： Recently, adolescent obesity was increased and tended to become obese adults, facing increased risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease. Even before reaching adulthood, adolescent obesity already was experiencing hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this study was to find prevalence of obesity of high school students in Jeju island and association between obesity and cardiovascular risk factors and association between childhood obesity and adolescent obesity. Method： The study subjects were 6,064 students of twenty-two high school in Jeju island and health survey data was gathered from high school health examination data and hospital health examination data from Aug. 1999 to Dec. 1999. Adolescent obesity was evaluated by ideal body weight method in 1998 and body mass index. Cardiovascular risk factors were checked total cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood sugar. In 1,534 students, obesity at primary school is checked by primary and middle school health record. Results： Prevalence of obesity in Jeju island high school students is 12.6% in male students, 13.3% in female students by ideal body weight method and 8.7% in male students, 8.5% in female students by body mass index. Prevalence of obesity of male students in city area and district area of Jeju island were each 12.9%, 10.3% and that of male students in city area was significantly higher. Prevalence of obesity of female students in city area and district area of Jeju island were each 12.9%, 14.2% and not significantly different. Prevalence of obesity of male students in general and commercial school group were each 13.9%, 10.1% and that of general school group was significantly higher. In female students, Prevalence of obesity general and commercial school group was not significantly different. Total cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly associated with degree of obesity in male and female students(p＜0.05) and fasting blood sugar was only significantly associated with degree of obesity in male students(p＜0.05). In 1,514 students checked by health record, Odds ratio of obesity at primary and middle school that at high school were 12.96∼22.77 and was significantly associated. Conclusion： Prevalence of obesity of high school students in Jeju island is very high and adolescent obesity was significantly associated with cardiovascular risk factors. Mostly childhood obesity tended to become adolescent obesity and program of control of obesity at childhood and adolescence is required.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.413-418
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• 1992

The prevalence of childhood and adolescents obesity at ages 6 to 17 in Seoul were investigated on 1992. The number of children and adolescents comprised of 3310 boys and 3270 girls. Obesity was defined as weight that exceeded the standard weighter for heigher and sex by more than 20%(relative weight>120%) The results were as follows : 1) The overall prevalence rate of childhood and adolescent obesity was 14.45% The prevalence rate of boys was 15.83% and that of girls was 13.06% on 1992. The overall difference of prevalence rate between boys and girls in significant(p<0.001) 2) The highest peak age is 11 years old. There were two peaks in the prevalence rate of obesity one is from 9 to 11 years old. the other is from 15 to 17 years old. 3) The prevalence rate of overweight that exceeded the standard weight by more than 20% to 29% was 8.62% by more than 30% to 49% was 5.58% and by more than 50% was 0.25% Our study suggests than the prevalence rate of obesity among the children and adolescent in Seoul, Korea is gradually increasing which will affect the future adult population. We feel it is needed further investigation to determine the causes of increasing rate of obesity and early establishment of preventive programs.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality and problems of Web sites for management of childhood and adolescent obesity. Methods: We evaluated 203 Web sites identified from the search engine, Korean Yahoo, using the word of 'childhood and adolescent obesity'. 203 Web sites were classified according to medical institutions, health information Web sites, beauty shops. etc. We surveyed whether childhood and adolescent obesity distinguished with adult obesity was considered, or not. and researched the unique managements of childhood and adolescent obesity including the cardinal treatment. Results: Of the 203 Web sites, 157(77.3%) provided detailed information about treatment of obesity, 46(22.7%) provided only simple information about one. The sites providing detailed information were composed of 52.2% of oriental medicine clinics, 35.0% of clinic & hospitals including pediatric hospitals. Distribution of the sites about management of childhood and adolescent obesity distinguished with adult's one was only 23% of oriental medicine clinics, but 93% of childrens hospitals. Conclusion: Without considering the speciality of childhood obesity, inaccurate information are distributing on internet web sites. It is necessary for concern and development of advertizing system on the internet distributing accurate information about treatment of childhood obesity.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.832-839
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to survey the prevalence of obesity assessed on the basis of height and weight among students in primary and secondary schools in the metropolitan area of Seoul, Korea during the period of 1979 to 1996. The major findings are as follows ; 1) The fiftieth percentile values of BMI have increased more in mid-ranged age group than upper(16-17 years old) and lower(6-7 years old) ranged age groups. 2) The prevalence of obesity by standard weight of height was higher among male students than female students and students in the primary schools showed higher weight increase than adolescent age(12-17 years old) group. As a whole, the prevalence of obesity over last 18 years has increased 4.6 times in males and 3.2 times in females. 3) Judged on the basis of the BMI 90th, 95th percentile values of 1979 , the prevalence of obesity among male students showed higher increases than among female students. Higher increase was also observed among primary school students than among middle and high school students. Increase of weight was higher for the $\geq$95th percentile group than the 90-95th percentile group. 4) Judged on the basis of the BMI, 90th, 95 th percentile values of NHANES-I, the $\geq$95th percentile group showed higher increase in the prevalence of obesity than the 90-95th percentile group. According to the 1996 data, severe obesity group ($\geq$95th percentile) was about two times of NHANES-I in male primary school students, while the number for female middle and high school students was about 1/5 of NHANES-I.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.173-182
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• 2013

Obesity during childhood is a dominant risk factor for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and is itself considered a disease that needs to be treated. Recently, the growth in childhood obesity in Korea has become stagnant; however, two in every ten children are still overweight. In addition, 60% or more of overweight children have at least one metabolic syndrome risk factor. Thus, childhood obesity should be controlled through lifestyle modification. This paper reviews studies of the modifiable risk factors of obesity in Korean children. According to the life-course approach, preschool-aged children (<5 years) are influenced by their parents rather than individual habits because they are under mostly parental care. Elementary school-aged children (6 to 11 years) are affected by overlapping individual and parental effects. This may mean that the establishment of individual behavior patterns begins during this period. The conditions of poor eating habits such as skipping meals, eating out, and high fat intake, along with low physical activity, facilitate increased obesity among adolescents (12 to 18 years). Notably, adolescent girls show high rates of both underweight and obesity, which may lead to the development of NCDs in their offspring. Therefore, the problem of NCDs is no longer limited to adults, but is also prevalent among children. In addition, early intervention offers cost-effective opportunities for preventing NCDs. Thus, children need primary consideration, adequate monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment to reduce the burden of NCDs later in adulthood.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.1321-1326
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• 2009

Prevalence of obesity in Korean children and adolescents has dramatically increased since the last 10-20 years. It is important to initiate prevention efforts early in childhood because prevalence of obesity in adolescence is the strongest predictor of its prevalence in adulthood. Intrauterine life, infancy, and preschool years may comprise the critical periods that are essential for the long-term regulation of energy balance therefore, obesity-prevention strategies should be initiated in utero and continued throughout childhood and adolescence. Families with high-risk children should be provided early education about maintaining normal weight. Encouraging physical activity and, especially, avoiding inactivity, are key challenges in the prevention of future obesity. Schools should be primarily involved in educating parents to discourage their children from excessively watching TV or playing computer games and eating unhealthy snacks and food. The involvement of medical practitioners is also important, especially, in the case of obese parents, obesity prevention strategies should be promoted from the first visit of pregnant women to the physicians. Health professionals can also be involved in obesity prevention because they are ideally equipped to identify young children at risk of obesity. Community and nation-wide efforts to increase awareness and promote environments that encourage physical activity and healthy nutrition are required.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.10
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• pp.417-423
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• 2013

Vitamin D is an essential component of bone and mineral metabolism; its deficiency causes growth retardation and skeletal deformities in children and osteomalacia and osteoporosis in adults. Hypovitaminosis D (vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency) is observed not only in adults but also in infants, children, and adolescents. Previous studies suggest that sufficient serum vitamin D levels should be maintained in order to enhance normal calcification of the growth plate and bone mineralization. Moreover, emerging evidence supports an association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels and immune function, respiratory diseases, obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, infection, allergy, cancers, and cardiovascular diseases in pediatric and adolescent populations. The risk factors for vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency in the pediatric population are season (winter), insufficient time spent outdoors, ethnicity (non-white), older age, more advanced stage of puberty, obesity, low milk consumption, low socioeconomic status, and female gender. It is recommended that all infants, children, and adolescents have a minimum daily intake of 400 IU ($10{\mu}g$) of vitamin D. Since the vitamin D status of the newborn is highly related to maternal vitamin D levels, optimal vitamin D levels in the mother during pregnancy should be maintained. In conclusion, given the important role of vitamin D in childhood health, more time spent in outdoor activity (for sunlight exposure) and vitamin D supplementation may be necessary for optimal health in infants, children, and adolescents.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.12
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• pp.619-627
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• 2021

Pediatric obesity has become a serious public health issue. The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents has increased worldwide and in Korea over several decades. Obese children are more likely to be obese adults with an increased cardiovascular risk. Therefore, maintaining a healthy weight and preventing obesity during childhood are of critical importance. Moreover, obese children and adolescents often have endocrine comorbidities such as prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, and central precocious puberty. Hence, the early implementation of obesity management using a multidisciplinary team approach and screening for these comorbidities in obese children and adolescents are required with the appropriate management of each comorbidity and/or specialist referral.