Trends in General and Abdominal Obesity among Korean Adults: Findings from 1998, 2001, 2005, and 2007 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys

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Abstract

We examined trends in obesity among Korean adults, using body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) as reported in national surveys. Data (10,043 men and 12,758 non-pregnant women) were derived from four waves of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 1998, 2001, 2005, and 2007. Between 1998 and 2007, the distribution of BMI and WC showed shifts toward the right among men. Mean values of BMI and WC and the corresponding overweight (includes obesity) and obesity prevalences showed increasing trends in men but not in women. Women aged 60+ showed significant increases in obesity measures, including mean BMI and WC, and the associated prevalences. Among women aged 20-39, the prevalence of underweight increased significantly between 1998 and 2007, and BMI showed a decreasing tendency. These time trends in young women were the reverse of the trends in young men. In conclusion, policy efforts to abate overweight and obesity trends need to be exercised among men and older women. In addition, more national studies regarding potential increases in underweight among young women are warranted.

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Most cited references 22

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Body-mass index and mortality in Korean men and women.

Sun Jee, Jae Sull, Jungyong Park … (2006)

Obesity is associated with diverse health risks, but the role of body weight as a risk factor for death remains controversial. We examined the association between body weight and the risk of death in a 12-year prospective cohort study of 1,213,829 Koreans between the ages of 30 and 95 years. We examined 82,372 deaths from any cause and 48,731 deaths from specific diseases (including 29,123 from cancer, 16,426 from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and 3362 from respiratory disease) in relation to the body-mass index (BMI) (the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters). In both sexes, the average baseline BMI was 23.2, and the rate of death from any cause had a J-shaped association with the BMI, regardless of cigarette-smoking history. The risk of death from any cause was lowest among patients with a BMI of 23.0 to 24.9. In all groups, the risk of death from respiratory causes was higher among subjects with a lower BMI, and the risk of death from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or cancer was higher among subjects with a higher BMI. The relative risk of death associated with BMI declined with increasing age. Underweight, overweight, and obese men and women had higher rates of death than men and women of normal weight. The association of BMI with death varied according to the cause of death and was modified by age, sex, and smoking history. Copyright 2006 Massachusetts Medical Society.

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Body image and weight control in young adults: international comparisons in university students from 22 countries.

Anne M Haase, A Steptoe, J Wardle (2006)

Young women in the United States and Western Europe are notoriously concerned about weight but less is known about attitudes to weight in other regions of the world. This study explores the associations between body mass index (BMI), weight perceptions, and attempts to lose weight in male and female university students from 22 countries. Data were collected from 18,512 university students, using standardised methods, as part of the International Health Behaviour Survey. Measures included weight, height, perception of overweight, and weight loss status. BMI was calculated from weight and height, but was categorised into gender and country-standardised deciles rather than the conventional weight categories in response to the inaccuracy of self-reports. Perceived overweight and weight loss status were plotted against country-standardised BMI deciles. The 22 countries were grouped into five geopolitical/economic areas for regional analyses: North-Western Europe and the USA, Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, Pacific Asia, South America. Perceived overweight compared across the five regions. Perceived overweight increased systematically across BMI deciles in all countries. More women than men felt overweight at any decile. Women had low levels of perceived overweight in the lowest decile but rates rapidly increased to 50% by the 5th decile. Men, even in the highest deciles, were less aware that they are overweight and few of them were trying to lose weight. Women had a faster rise of weight loss attempts over the BMI deciles but nevertheless the proportion trying to lose in the highest decile did not exceed 75%. Perceived overweight profiles across BMI deciles were similar across all regions, suggesting that perceptions of overweight derive from local comparisons. The patterning for trying to lose weight was more diverse, with men and women from Asian countries showing higher levels of trying to lose weight at all deciles. This study shows the international consistency in perceptions of overweight in educated young men and women across diverse regions of the world. It confirms the patterning of women's overestimation of weight at lower BMI deciles and men's underestimation of weight at the higher deciles. Perceptions of overweight and attempts to lose weight were highest in the group of Asian countries where body weights are generally low, suggesting that local culture and norms could moderate attitudes to weight.

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Effect of Body Mass Index on pregnancy outcomes in nulliparous women delivering singleton babies

Sohinee Bhattacharya, Doris Campbell, William Liston … (2007)

Background The increasing prevalence of obesity in young women is a major public health concern. These trends have a major impact on pregnancy outcomes in these women, which have been documented by several researchers. In a population based cohort study, using routinely collected data, this paper examines the effect of increasing Body Mass Index (BMI) on pregnancy outcomes in nulliparous women delivering singleton babies. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study, based on all nulliparous women delivering singleton babies in Aberdeen between 1976 and 2005. Women were categorized into five groups – underweight (BMI 35 Kg/m2). Obstetric and perinatal outcomes were compared by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results In comparison with women of BMI 20 – 24.9, morbidly obese women faced the highest risk of pre-eclampsia {OR 7.2 (95% CI 4.7, 11.2)} and underweight women the lowest {OR 0.6 (95% CI 0.5, 0.7)}. Induced labour was highest in the morbidly obese {OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.3, 2.5)} and lowest in underweight women {OR 0.8 (95% CI 0.8, 0.9)}. Emergency Caesarean section rates were highest in the morbidly obese {OR 2.8 (95% CI 2.0, 3.9)}, and comparable in women with normal and low BMI. Obese women were more likely to have postpartum haemorrhage {OR 1.5 (95% CI 1.3, 1.7)} and preterm delivery ( 4,000 g was in the morbidly obese {OR 2.1 (95% CI 1.3, 3.2)} and the lowest in underweight women {OR 0.5 (95% CI 0.4, 0.6)}. Conclusion Increasing BMI is associated with increased incidence of pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, macrosomia, induction of labour and caesarean delivery; while underweight women had better pregnancy outcomes than women with normal BMI.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): J Korean Med Sci

Journal ID (publisher-id): JKMS

Title: Journal of Korean Medical Science

Publisher: The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences

ISSN (Print): 1011-8934

ISSN (Electronic): 1598-6357

Publication date (Print): November 2010

Publication date (Electronic): 26 October 2010

Volume: 25

Issue: 11

Pages: 1582-1588

Affiliations

[1 ]Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

[2 ]Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Author notes

Address for Correspondence: Young-Ho Khang, M.D. Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 86 Asanbyeongwon-gil Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Korea. Tel: +82.2-3010-4290, Fax: +82.2-477-2898, youngk@ 123456amc.seoul.kr

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DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2010.25.11.1582

PMC ID: 2966994

PubMed ID: 21060746

SO-VID: f5ca6983-1896-4e7d-a5a7-bafa3f6d19e0

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This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Trends in General and Abdominal Obesity among Korean Adults: Findings from 1998, 2001, 2005, and 2007 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys

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Most cited references 22

Body-mass index and mortality in Korean men and women.

Body image and weight control in young adults: international comparisons in university students from 22 countries.

Effect of Body Mass Index on pregnancy outcomes in nulliparous women delivering singleton babies

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