Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.  2018 Apr;21(2):127-133. 10.5223/pghn.2018.21.2.127.

The Analysis of Factors Causing the High Prevalence of Child Obesity in Jeju Island

• Park EH
• Oh MS
• Kim S
• Lee J
• Kang KS

• KMID: 2409364
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5223/pghn.2018.21.2.127

Abstract

PURPOSE
For 3 consecutive years from 2012-2014, we analyzed the causative factors for why the Jeju Island had the highest obesity prevalences of school children among the 15 provinces in Korea.
METHODS
From our analysis of 28,026 elementary school children with obesity or normal weight in the 15 provinces, we analyzed 12 factors related to eating habits, exercise habits, lifestyle, and mental health. The differences between the obese and normal weight children were researched. Finally, Jeju was compared with Seoul, which has the lowest obesity prevalence in school age children. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi square test of PASW Statistics ver. 18.0.
RESULTS
Compared to the normal weight group, the obese group had significantly higher rates of consuming soft drinks (p<0.001), fast food intake (p=0.019), skipping breakfast (p<0.001), insufficient sleep (p<0.001), bullying experiences (p=0.001) and runaway impulses (p=0.012). Compared to Seoul, Jeju Island had significantly higher rates of Ramen intake (3.4% vs. 5.4%, p=0.021) and meat intake (46.0% vs. 52.9%, p=0.003). On the other hand, Jeju Island was significantly lower than was Seoul in their fruit intake (83.4% vs. 67.1%, p<0.001), vegetable intake (71.4% vs. 64.2%, p=0.001), and intense physical activity (63.4% vs. 47.7%, p<0.001). Meanwhile, insufficient sleep (15.4% vs. 9.6%, p<0.001) and runaway impulses (5.6% vs. 3.3%, p=0.027) in children were significantly lower in Jeju Island than in Seoul.
CONCLUSION
The results of the obesity factor analysis of elementary school students in Jeju Island can be used as useful educational material for lowering the obesity prevalence in Jeju community.

Keyword

Child; Obesity; Prevalence

MeSH Terms

Breakfast
Bullying
Carbonated Beverages
Child*
Eating
Fast Foods
Fruit
Hand
Homeless Youth
Humans
Korea
Life Style
Meat
Mental Health
Motor Activity
Obesity
Pediatric Obesity*
Prevalence*
Seoul
Vegetables

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The diagram of 12 factors causing child obesity in the normal and obese group. Non-healthy eating habits (consuming soft drinks rate more than 3 times a week, fast food intake rate more than 3 times a week, skipped breakfast rate), non-healthy lifestyle (sleeping time less than 7 hours a day, using computer more than 2 hours a day), and non-healthy mental health (bullying experience within past 1 year, Experience of runaway impulse) were significantly higher in the obese group, and there was no significant difference between the two groups in Ramen intake rate more than 3 times a week and Intense physical activity rate more than 3 times a week.

• 

  Fig. 2 The diagram of 12 factors causing child obesity in Seoul and Jeju Island. In Jeju Island, the Ramen intake rate more than 3 times a week, which is non-healthy eating habit, was significantly higher and meat intake rate more than 3 times a week also higher than those in Seoul. In Seoul, fruit intake rate more than 3 times a week and vegetable intake rate more than 3 times a week, which are healthy eating habits, and intense physical activity rate more than 3 times a week, which is healthy exercise habit, were significantly higher than Jeju Island. However, Seoul was significantly higher than Jeju in terms of sleeping time less than 7 hours a day, which is non-healthy lifestyle, and experience of runaway impulse, which is non-healthy mental health.

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