Factors Influencing Obesity among Adolescent: Analysis of 2011 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Jee, Young Ju; Kim, Young Hae

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Child and adolescent obesity is increasing worldwide, including Korea, and its importance is being emphasized. Therefore, identifying predictive factors of adolescent obesity is important for preventing obesity and necessary for developing intervention programs.
METHODS
This study is a secondary analysis using raw data from the 2011 Adolescent Health Behavior Online Survey. Total of 73,473 subjects were included in the analysis. The questionnaires used for this study assessed eating behaviors, BMI, gender, age, parents' education levels, perceived state of health, social economic status, perceived body image, breakfast consumption, fruit intake, consumption of carbonated soft drinks, vegetable intake, milk consumption, fast food consumption, ramen consumption, confectionery consumption, frequency and intensity of physical exercise, frequency of muscle strengthening exercise, average hours of sedentary activities, perceived happiness, perceived level of stress, sleep hygiene, and experience of depression. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, chi2-test, t-test, ANOVA and multiple logistic regression using SPSS WIN 14.0 program.
RESULTS
The prevalence of obesity was 8.6%. The normal weight group and obese group significantly differed in terms of age, father's education, mother's education, gender, body image, state of health, fruit intake, consumption of ramen, vegetable intake, confectionery consumption, sleep hygiene, high intensity activity and depression. The predictors of adolescent obesity were age, gender, body image, state of health, fruit intake, consumption of ramen, vegetable intake, confectionery consumption, sleep hygiene, and depression. The above mentioned dependent factors were explicable causes of 46% of adolescent obesity according to the logistic model.
CONCLUSION
Healthy perception of body image, obesity education appropriate for each age group, and healthy eating habits should be included when educating adolescents on obesity Also, importance of mental health should not be overlooked.