The Factors Related to Improvement of Obesity Degree in Obese Children of an Urban Area of the Korea

Cho, Young Gyu; Kang, Jae Heon; Chun, Jung Yoon; Kim, Kyung A; Kim, Ok Hyun; Song, Ji Hyun; Jung, Myeong Ho

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity is one of important public health problems in Korea. Childhood obesity management programs have recently developed and progressed. However, it is not clear which factors are related to improvement of childhood obesity. This study was conducted to investigate the factors related to improving obesity in Korean obese children.
METHODS
First grade students from elementary schools in Gwacheon City were enrolled in the study in 2005. The study subjects (total 80 students; 52 boys and 28 girls) participated in the investigation of both 2005 and 2006 and were diagnosed as either overweight or obese in 2005. The degree of obesity improvement among the study subjects was estimated for a year. After stratifying study subjects into groups of overweight-boys, obesity-boys and girls, the improvement group was defined as the highest tertile of degree of obesity improvement of each group. Factors related to obesity improvement were analysed.
RESULTS
Children of college graduate parents manifested a greater improvement of obesity than children whose parents did not graduate from college. Daily intake of fresh vegetables and daily walking for over an hour were related to improvement of obesity. Adjusted odds ratio of consuming fresh vegetable daily was 2.88 (P-value < 0.10) and adjusted odds ratio of walking over 1 hour daily was 3.37 (P-value < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
Parental education level, consumption frequency of fresh vegetable and walking hours were related to improvement of obesity in Korean obese children. These results should be considered in practicing childhood obesity management programs in Korea.