• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.52 no.7
• /
• pp.745-751
• /
• 2009

Hypertension is a major risk factor for myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular mortality in adults; its treatment reduces the risk of cardiovascular events. In recent times, attention is being paid to monitoring of blood pressure from childhood to adulthood. Childhood hypertension is associated with hypertension in later life, and early intervention is important. In the Korean socioeconomic background, a rapid increase is observed in the number of obesity cases and the rate of increase in the incidence of obesity is more in childhood. The strong association of high blood pressure with obesity and the marked increase in the incidence of childhood obesity indicate that both hypertension and prehypertension are becoming significant health issues. In this comprehensive review, we acquaint the clinician with the available literature on childhood hypertension to provide recommendations for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of hypertension based on the available evidence and consensus in Korean clinical conditions.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.69-74
• /
• 2003

Childhood obesity is harmful to health and growth. We had experienced a childhood obese patient. From Feb. 28. 2003 to July. 14. 2003. We applied Chegameuiyin-tang(體感意苡仁湯), electrolipolysis and VLCD(very low calorie diet), behavioral therapy, aerobic exercise, infra-red therapy, auricular acupuncture, and aqua-massage. Through this obesity treatment during 5 months, total weight loss was 12.2kg, reduction of percent body fat was 13.4% (from 38.5 to 25.1), her condition and hepatic index(AST, ALT) was improved.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.9-22
• /
• 2007

Objectives : This study was designed to collect the latest papers and to find more effective approach for childhood obesity. Methods : We searched 107 papers in English from Pubmed(www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) and selected 52 in favor of our study. In addition to that, we searched 29 papers in Chinese from www.cnki.net. Results are as follows. Results and Conclusions : There are not completely new treatments for childhood obesity. Instead of that, many studies aimed for prevention through family education, nutrition education, and exercises education. Specially, because some diseases including hypertension, diabetes and heart disease are connected with obese children, medication can be prescribed optionally. In that case, their mental health must be laid emphasis. And in China, TCM(Traditional Chinese Medicine) is very common treatment for childhood obesity. Acupuncture, herb medication and manual therapy could be used usefully. It is suggested that above latest treatments can be combined with Korean traditional treatments method in treating obese children.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.256-268
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to explore ecological factors and strategies for childhood obesity prevention targeting vulnerable children using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) methodology. Methods: The CBPR was conducted by following basic process steps. Participants were 12 community stakeholders such as community child center directors (n=4), vulnerable children's mothers (n=3), community health center officials (n=2), and lay health advisors (n=4); they were purposively sampled from K municipal county in Seoul, South Korea. The qualitative content analysis was performed to explore main themes of the ecological factors and strategies by using data obtained from 5 times of focus group interview. Results: Twelve ecological factors associated with childhood obesity prevention were identified: Intrapersonal factors including emotional overeating; interpersonal factors including permissive parenting style of children's eating behaviors; organizational factors including social workers' less educational opportunities; and community/policy factors including less government financial support. Four ecological strategies for childhood obesity prevention were addressed: Developing obesity prevention programs targeting vulnerable children' lifestyles; promoting parents' active participation in education; building healthy meal service environments through empowering social workers; and building supportive community environment and securing community resources for child obesity prevention. Conclusion: Our findings may be informative in terms of providing a comprehensive understanding of multi-level ecological barriers against vulnerable children' obesity prevention and, moreover, guiding multi-level strategies for preventing childhood obesity targeting children enrolled in community child centers.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.39 no.5
• /
• pp.371-378
• /
• 2006

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of childhood obesity, the association between the undesirable lifestyles and socioeconomic factors, the association between childhood obesity and various risk factors, including socioeconomic factors, and the agreement between the body mass index (BMI) classification and the body fat percentage. Methods: The study subjects were all the 5th grade students from all the elementary schools in Gunpo City, Kyunggi Province, South Korea (4043 children at 22 schools). The subjects were measured for their height, weight and percent body fat etc. and they were also surveyed by questionnaire from March 18th to April 25th, 2005. To determine whether the children were within normal limits or not, standardized BMIs for each age group were used. The data was analyzed by logistic regression analysis using SAS 9.0 version. Results: The prevalence of childhood obesity prevalence was 25.1 %. Boys had a higher prevalence of obesity (27.5%) than did the girls (22.5%). Children had tendencies of having undesirable lifestyles and getting obese if they had a lower socioeconomic status. The risk factors for childhood obesity were low paternal education (OR: 1.17, 95% CI : 0.97-1.42) and non-parental caregivers (OR: 1.34, 95% CI : 0.98-1.82). Other risk factors for childhood obesity were a high birth-weight, longer TV/computer-using time, a lower fruit-eating frequency, short sleeping hours and parental obesity. The agreement rate between the BMI classification and the body fat percentage was 93.1 %. Conclusions: This study showed the children had a higher prevalence of obesity: further, not only individual lifestyles, but also socioeconomic factors could influence childhood obesity. Childhood obesity was especially more problematic for children with a low socioeconomic status.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.254-262
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the environmental factors affecting childhood obesity using photovoice from the perspectives of students, parents, and teachers in the community. Methods: Six school students, seven parents, and seven school teachers completed an assignment requiring them to take 24 pictures and participate in group discussions. After training session, the participants were asked to take pictures associated with food and physical activity environments related to childhood obesity at home, school, and within their communities for two weeks and to submit the pictures with records. Each group had four sessions for discussion. Results: School cafeteria, convenience stores near schools, instant food and fast food joints, food delivery, and high-calorie snacks comprised the food environmental factors. Lack of physical activity classes at school, commuting by car, barriers to physical activity, and use of smart-phone were environmental factors that inhibited physical activity. Conclusion: To reduce childhood obesity, the creation of a supportive environment for encouraging the consumption of healthy foods and enhancing physical activity should be considered. Modifications of and improvement to the obesogenic environment might be a good strategy to prevent and reduce childhood obesity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2008

Purpose: Few studies have attempted to explain the childhood's sociality issue in Korea. This study was conducted to investigate the association between obesity stress and sociality factors. Methods : The study subjects were 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students from the elementary schools in Kwangju, Anyang, and Hwasung city. The cross sectional study was carried out through the self-reported questionnaire survey about obesity stress, sociality, and socio-demographic characteristics. The data was analyzed by multiple regression analysis using SPSS 12.0 version. Results : Overall, the findings of this study were consistent with previous studies. The measures of obesity stress showed significant negative relationships with measures of childhood sociality. Specifically, the association between mental stress from obesity and socialization was more higher than other variables. In addition, multiple regression analysis found that the effect of mental stress from obesity on childhood sociality was more higher than the effect of stress from physical discomfort and the effort to overcome the obesity stress. Conclusion : Findings provide evidence for the notion that the measures of obesity stress is significantly associated with childhood sociality.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.81-90
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify trends in intervention studies on childhood obesity in Korea. Methods: From 1996, when the first research paper on childhood obesity intervention was published, to 2015, 192 published papers were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The number of studies increased sharply between 1996 and 2007, but declined slightly from then. The majority of studies involved only children as intervention participants. Most were elementary students, and overweight and obese children. Exercise therapy was the most common type of intervention. Parental participation was found in 35 studies, while teacher's participation was found in only one study. In many studies physiological indicators were used as measurement variables, but follow-up was done in only 10 studies. Finally, only a few studies applied a conceptual framework, while a quasi-experimental research design was used for most studies. Conclusion: Examination of trends in intervention studies on childhood obesity in Korea, shows there has been a quantitative increase but not enough improvement in terms of the quality of interventions. Findings in the present study suggest that it is necessary to seek diversity in terms of study participants, interventions and evaluation method along with quality improvement in research methodology.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.26 no.1 s.61
• /
• pp.103-114
• /
• 2005

Objective; Childhood obesity has become one of the most common health problems facing children in the world. Although a number of regimens have been developed and distributed for the treatment of adult obesity, few studies have focused on therapeutic programs for obese children. The objective of this study was to develop and measure the effects of Taeumin childhood obesity by a sasang constitution­based education program. Methods ; A total of 14$(\%RBW\geq20)$ among 18 taeumin with childhood obesity from June to August 2003 participated in the constitution-based education program. It was designed to examine the effects of a constitution-based education program through anthropometric measurements, body composition indicates, biochemical indicates and serum level of taeumin childhood obesity. Results; The results of this study were as follows: 1. The anthropometric measurement of subscapular skinfold thickness was reduced after 4 weeks of the constitution-based education program. 2. The body composition indicates reduction in degree of obesity, percent body fat, and fat distribution. The other side increased in height, total body water, soft lean mass, and lean body mass. 3. For biochemical indicates, HDL-cholesterol was increased significantly after 4 weeks of the constitution-based education program. The other side decreased in AST and ALT. 4. There was a significant reduction in BMI and $\%RBW$ after the constitution-based education program. Conclusion : A constitution-based education program for weight control results in reduced degree of obesity among taeumin children.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.36-43
• /
• 2021

[Purpose] Exercise is a key factor in preventing obesity and metabolic syndrome. Sumo wrestlers increase their body size from childhood for athletic advantage; however, the risk of metabolic syndrome in junior sumo wrestlers is undetermined. Preventive measures against pediatric obesity should be initiated during childhood to prevent obesity in adulthood, considering its high global incidence. We comparatively evaluated the risk factors for metabolic syndrome in junior sumo wrestlers and children with obesity. [Methods] We enrolled 70 male children (age 9-17 years [sumo group, n = 14] and 9-14 years [other sports and non-exercise groups, n = 28 each]) and evaluated their anthropometric parameters (height, weight, body mass index z-score, obesity rate, waist circumference, waist to height ratio) and hematological parameters (total, low-density, high-density, and non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; triglycerides; plasma glucose, and glycated hemoglobin levels). [Results] The BMI z-score, obesity rate, waist circumference (p < 0.05, along with the non-exercise group), and systolic blood pressure were significantly higher and the high-density cholesterol level was lower in the sumo group than in the other sports group (p < 0.05). The waist to height ratio was significantly higher in the non-exercise group than in the other sports group (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found in other blood lipid, plasma glucose (significantly lower level than the reference range in the sumo group, p < 0.05), and glycated hemoglobin (within the reference range in all groups) levels among the three groups. [Conclusion] Junior sumo wrestlers had a larger body size and higher blood pressure than children with obesity who exercised regularly. This provides direction for future research into targeted preventive interventions against metabolic syndrome for junior sumo wrestlers with large body size.