Korean J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr.  2010 Dec;13(Suppl 1):S10-S14. 10.5223/kjpgn.2010.13.Suppl1.S10.

Current Nutritional Status of Korean Adolescents and Countermeasures

• Moon JS

• KMID: 2275461
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5223/kjpgn.2010.13.Suppl1.S10

Abstract

The importance of healthier nutrition and lifestyle in children and adolescents is growing more and more nowadays in the era of exponential increase of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. But the situation of the adolescent nutrition in Korea looks no so good. According to the several recent surveys in Korea, 67% increase in obesity during the past decade was striking. Prevalence of wasting in school girls was increasing, which were accompanied by high prevalence of eating disorder prone factors. Unhealthy eating behavior and selective deficiency of nutrient intake were common. Calcium and potassium were the most common deficient minerals of adolescents, whose usual dietary intake was below Korean Recommended Guidelines. To meet the upcoming challenges of nutrition in adolescence, we should prepare the new multidisciplinary policy including healthier school nutrition environment and enrollment of the health care clinics or hospitals as primary prevention providers.

Keyword

Adolescents; Nutrition; Obesity; Eating disorder; Wasting

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Calcium
Cardiovascular Diseases
Child
Chronic Disease
Delivery of Health Care
Diabetes Mellitus
Feeding and Eating Disorders
Feeding Behavior
Humans
Hyperlipidemias
Hypertension
Korea
Life Style
Minerals
Nutritional Status
Obesity
Potassium
Prevalence
Primary Prevention
Strikes, Employee
Calcium
Minerals
Potassium

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Recent rates of low body mass index in high school girls (below 5 percentiles according to 2007 Korean Standards) suggest increment tendency of inappropriate weight control in school girls. Analysis was based on 2007~2008 school health examination data in Korea.

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  Fig. 2 Percentages of children and adolescents, aged 7~12 and 13~19, whose usual dietary intake below Korean Recommended Guidelines for energy, selected vitamins and minerals were very high (data from the Third Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey).

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