• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.225-234
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that related to obesity among 6th grade elementary school girls. The study subjects were 337 girls residing in Seoul. Not only variables of nutritional environment such as eating habits, health related behavioral variables, nutritional feeding methods during infancy, and genetic factors but also sexual maturity had been included as a obesity related factors. Association between obesity and related variables were analyzed by $x^2$(Chi-square) test. The obesity prevalence of the study subjects were 16% based on Röhrer Index(RI). Fifty-three percent of the study subjects experienced menarche at the time of data collection. Result of analysis showed that not only the nutritional enviromental variables such as eating habits, specific food preferences, and habit of exercise but also genetic factors did not show any statistically significant association with obesity. Above finding may imply that more variables other than the variables included in this study might have influenced on the obesity of the children. However sexual maturity in term of breast development showed significant association with obesity.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 1997

The purpose of this survey was to investigate the prevalence of obesity, eating habits and life styles of children. This survey was carried out anthropometry and questionnaires in 180 male and 141 female students of fifth-grade at Dongmak elementary school. The results are summarized as follows : 1)18.2% of the male and 19.3% of female students were obese. Underweight group was 10.5% of the male and 15.0% of the female students. 2) Average height of male and female students were 142.0㎝, 144.0㎝ and weight of those were 35.8㎏ and 37.1㎏ respectively. The height and skinfold thickness of the triceps in female students were significantly higher than those of male students and body fat content in female students was significantly lower than that of male students. There was no difference in BMI, RW and RI between male and female students. The average BMI, RW, RI were 17.7, 25.4, 124.0, respectively. 3) The student's height was positively related to parent's height and moth's weight. There were significantly positive correlation between mother's and subject's weight. BMI, RW and RI were positively related to parent's BMI. 4) 78.3% of male and 51.8% of female students had prejudice for special food, and 45.5% of male and 34.5% of female students had an overeating habit. Male students had significanthy higher rate than female in both cases. Average eating time per meal was 18.9 minutes for male and 21.0 minutes for female students. Experience for taking nutrient supplement in male student was more than that in female. Obese group had prejudice for special food, overeating habit and rapid eating rate more than any other groups. The prevalence of obesity among the children is gradually increasing. Therefore, in order to prevent progress into adulthood obesity, nutrition education including the right perception for obesity and eating behavior modification was needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.141-151
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• 1998

This survey was conducted to investigate the relation of children's obesity index to their mothers' food habit during the October in 1995. The survey covered a total of 492 mothers whose children were in the fifth grade of elementary schools in Cheju City area. The results are summarized as follows: 1.The surveyed children's average WLI(Weight-Length Index) is 107.08. WLI shows that 16.1% of them are overweight, 16.1% obese and 49.8% ideally weighted. The mothers' average BMI(Body Mass Index) is 22.4. 21.8% of them are underweight and 69.4% normal. The children's obesity index is significantly correlated to their fathers', but not significant to their mothers'. 2.As to the food habit I (balance of nutrients intake), 58.4% of the mothers have 'excellent' or 'good' food habit and the mean score is 14.95 out of maximum possible score 24.0. Concerning to the food habit II (intake of sugar, fat and salt etc.), 87.4% of mothers have 'good' or 'fair' food habit and the mean score of is 13.34 out of maximum (possible score) 20.0. The mothers' food habit I and II, as a whole, have no significant effect on the children's obesity index, but in some items the significant relations are founded. The children's chesty index is significantly related to the intake of eggs (P<0.05) and pan-broiled or fried foods (P<0.05). The amount of mothers' food intake is significantly relevant to their obesity index (P<0.001), but not significantly to their children's. The food habit of mothers who have taken midnight snack almost every day are significantly related to their children's chesty index (P<0.05). The findings of the study emphasize the importance of the nutrition education to ensure health and better physical fitness for children and their mothers.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.61-72
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• 2008

Objectives: This study was conducted to examine the relationships among body image, self-esteem and sociability according to perception of body shape and obesity level. Methods: The subjects in this study were 325 elementary school youngsters in their sixth year. A survey was conducted, and one-way ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson's correlation analysis and path analysis were used for data analysis. Results: Normal weight group accounted for 43.4%, under weight group 34.8% and obesity group 21.8%. In underweight group, 53.1% of the subjects perceived their body was normal or fatty while 17% of subjects in normal group perceived their body was fatty. There were significant differences in body image according to the perception of body shape by grade(F=15.90, p=.000) and to the level of obesity(F=6.18, p=.002). There was a significant difference in self-esteem according to the perception of body shape by grade(F=3.17, p=.430). There was a significant difference in sociability according to the level of obesity(F=3.48, p=.032). There was significantly strong positive correlation among their body image, self-esteem and sociability. A structural equation model was tested and fitted the data well. Conclusions: This study suggested that health education is needed to establish the correct body image from the elementary school periods by school health educators. The right body image is more important than anything else to improve self-esteem and sociability.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.285-293
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• 2022

Background: This study was conducted to analyze the effects of low skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and obesity on aging-related osteoarthritis (OA) in the Korean population. Methods: A total of 16,601 participants who underwent a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and 3,976 subjects with knee X-rays according to the modified Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) system were enrolled. Knees of ≥KL grade 2 were classified as radiologic OA. The severity of joint space narrowing (JSN) was classified by X-rays as normal, mild-to-moderate, and severe JSN in radiologic OA. The subjects were grouped as normal SMI (SMI of ≥-1 standard deviation [SD] of the mean), low SMI class I (SMI of ≥-2 SDs and <-1 SD), and low SMI class II (SMI of <-2 SDs). Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of ≥27.5 kg/m². Results: The modified KL grade and JSN severity were negatively correlated with the SMI and positively correlated with BMI and age. The SMI was negatively correlated with age. JSN severity was significantly associated with a low SMI class compared to a normal SMI, which was more prominent in low SMI class II than class I. Obesity was significantly associated with more severe JSN, only for obesity with a low SMI class. Furthermore, patients with a low SMI class, regardless of obesity, were prone to having more severe JSN. Conclusion: This study suggested that a low SMI class was associated with aging and that an age-related low SMI was more critically related to the severity of JSN in OA.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.49-58
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• 2010

Objectives This study was performed to investigate the effects of obesity, food, physical activity and stress on blood pressure changes for children and for adolescents. Methods The participants were the first and the fourth grade elementary school students and the first grade of middle school students. They were asked to measure the blood pressure, height, weight and were asked to complete questionnaires. Results The systolic and diastolic blood pressure of male was significantly higher than that of female and the prevalence of hypertension among the first and the fourth grade elementary school students and the first grade of middle school students were 15.6%, 13.6%, and 7.8%, respectively. Height, weight and body mass index (BMI) were highly correlated with the level of blood pressure. However, food, and physical activity, stress and depression were poorly correlated with the level of blood pressure. Conclusions This study proved that blood pressures in children and in adolescent were closely related with obesity, sex, and height.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.77-92
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• 2010

Objectives The relationship between depression, obesity, life style of adolescents has been reported, but the results were not consistent. Thus this study was designed to find out the relationship. Methods The participants were the first and second grade middle school students. The participants were asked to measure their height and weight etc, and were asked to survey questionnaires. To diagnose the students' degree of depression, Children's Depression Inventory(CDI) by Kovas and Beck. Results The average depression score in the obese group was significantly higher than that of the normal body weight group. In addition, male obese group scored higher on CDI than the female obese group, and the obese group of participants who don't exercise, but like to play computer games and watch TV scored higher on CDI than the group who exercise and don't play computer games. Conclusions This study proved that depression in adolescent was closely related with obesity and obesity-related lifestyles. "The research was supported by the Kyung Hee University Research Fund in 2007"(KHU-20071638).

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2008

Purpose: Few studies have attempted to explain the childhood's sociality issue in Korea. This study was conducted to investigate the association between obesity stress and sociality factors. Methods : The study subjects were 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students from the elementary schools in Kwangju, Anyang, and Hwasung city. The cross sectional study was carried out through the self-reported questionnaire survey about obesity stress, sociality, and socio-demographic characteristics. The data was analyzed by multiple regression analysis using SPSS 12.0 version. Results : Overall, the findings of this study were consistent with previous studies. The measures of obesity stress showed significant negative relationships with measures of childhood sociality. Specifically, the association between mental stress from obesity and socialization was more higher than other variables. In addition, multiple regression analysis found that the effect of mental stress from obesity on childhood sociality was more higher than the effect of stress from physical discomfort and the effort to overcome the obesity stress. Conclusion : Findings provide evidence for the notion that the measures of obesity stress is significantly associated with childhood sociality.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.352-362
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of obesity stress on the eating behavior of elementary school students. Using a questionnaire, 300 students in the sixth grade from 2 schools in Kyunggi-do were surveyed (Boys: N=145, Girls: N=155). Data analysis was managed by SPSS software (version 13.0). The link between obesity stress and eating habits or behaviors was dependent on physical discomfort. There was also a large group of students experienced irregularity in their meal times during the day. Furthermore, there were significant differences in mealtime among boys under psychic stress caused by obesity. In the case of dairy intake during breakfast, the significant signs of obesity stress for were physical discomfort for boys and psychic stress for the girls. It was found for both boys and girls that more frequent midnight snacking decreased the efforts to overcome obesity stress. Therefore, a professional nutrition program that can educate school children must be implemented both in school and at home. In addition to overweight or obesity children, normal weight and underweight children can also benefit from this program that includes health counseling for weight and eating behaviors.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.77-94
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• 2008

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop the children obesity prevention program and to analyze how this program has an effect on students' degree of knowledge, attitude for obesity prevention. Methods: The study design was Compromise Experience Group Pre-Post Design. 238 students in the 4th and 5th grade of 4 elementary schools in Seoul were nonrandomly assigned to the study group(n=115) or the control group(n=113). The Program was applied for 3 times and surveys were conducted 2 times as pre-test and post-test. Results: 1. The obesity prevention CD-ROM was developed by analyzing of learners and educational facilities, selecting the study object and contents and producing educational methods and materials. The study contents were included definition, types, factors and side-effects of obesity, and It was contained dietary habit, exercise and life style for obesity prevention and healthy life. 2. Demographic characteristics were not significantly different between study group and control group. Among the subjects investigated, 27.8% of the study group and 38.1% of the control group stated that they had experienced in the obesity prevention program in past. 3. The obesity knowledge and attitude score after this obesity prevention program were improved significantly than before the program(P<0.001). Conclusion: The CD-ROM developed in this study for the children obesity prevention program was proven to be effective in improving obesity knowledge, attitude for the obesity prevention.