• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8877-8881
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• 2014

Background: Despite social gradients in adult smoking, the effects of socioeconomic position (SEP) on adolescent smoking is not well understood. This study examined effects of subjective SEP as well as the objective SEP on smoking among Korean adolescents. Materials and Methods: Data were obtained from the 2012 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, a nationally representative sample of middle and high school students (38,221 boys; 35,965 girls). SEP was assessed by the Family Affluence Scale (FAS) and the self-rated household economic status. Relationships between SEP and smoking were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Results: The low perceived SEP for either the high or low FAS grade was related to an elevated likelihood of smoking in both genders. A significantly higher risk of smoking was found in boys of low perceived SEP in middle school (odds ratio [OR] 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28-1.77 for high FAS, OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.21-1.98 for low FAS), and of low perceived SEP and high FAS in high school (OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.02-1.26). Among girls, an elevated risk of smoking was observed in middle school group with low perceived SEP and low FAS (OR 2.01; 95% CI 1.44-2.79) and in the high school group of low perceived SEP, regardless of FAS level (OR 1.34; 95% CI 1.14-1.57 for high FAS, OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.04-1.65 for low FAS). Conclusions: The relationship of subjectively perceived SEP with smoking is as important as objective SEP and more significant in Korean high school adolescents.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.669-680
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• 2017

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between demographic factors and oral health factors and mental health factors in Korean adolescents. Methods: The study was based on the 11th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (2015). The final participation rate in the survey was 96.7%. of a total of 70.362 adolescents (age, 12~18 years) who had participated in the survey, 68,043 adolescents were selected for analysis. Results:As a result of examining the stress awareness of adolescents and the experience of oral disease symptoms, it was found that the number of brushing times per day was less than 1 time (p<0.001), tingling and throbbing (p<0.001), gum pain & blood (p<0.001) and bad breath (p<0.001) were more stressed than those who had experience. On the other hand, the lack of experience in oral health education was more stressful (p<0.001). As a result of examining the factors influencing subjective happiness, it was found that the female, the lower the grade, the higher the academic performance and economic level, the less experience of oral disease in the last one year, The level of awareness was high. Conclusions: These results indicate that the demographic factors, mental health factors, and oral health factors of adolescents are correlated to one another. Therefore, when developing a program for promoting adolescent health or establishing a national business plan, it should be considered in a multi-faceted way.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.193-201
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• 2018

Objectives: This study was conducted to measure the intake rate of SSBs (sugar sweetened beverages) and examine the relationship between health behavior factors and SSBs intake by adolescents. Methods: This study used data from the 2016 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, which included 65,528 study participants. SSBs intake frequency was measured by asking respondents if they consumed soda, high-caffeinated beverages, and sugary drinks during the previous week. Type of intake was categorized into three groups according to the number of consumed drinks [SSBs (0): None; SSBs (1-2): 1 or 2 consumed; SSBs (3): 3 consumed]. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine health behaviors that affected SSBs consumption. Results: Increased SSBs intake was significantly correlated with current smoking (OR=2.4, 95% CI=1.82-3.17), current drinking (OR=2.13, 95% CI=1.82-2.51), sedentary time increase (OR=1.31, 95% CI=1.15-1.49), three days or more physical activity per week (OR=1.12, 95% CI=1.02-1.24), <8 hours sleep (OR=1.6, 95% CI=1.43-1.78), increased internet usage time (OR=1.44, 95% CI=1.25-1.65). Conclusions: Sugar-sweetened beverages intake by Korean adolescents was associated with health behaviors such as smoking, drinking, sedentary time increase, more physical activity, poor sleeping time, and increased internet use time. Based on these results, it is necessary to recognize the influence of SSBs intake and to intervene to reduce consumption of SSBs.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.6317-6323
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to determine the association between the Body Mass Index (BMI), weight perception and depression-like symptoms in Korean middle school students. The data was obtained from the 2012 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. The subjects were 37,297 students living in the community. Adjusting for covariates (sex, school year, home economics, city-type, school record, self-reported happiness, self-reported health status, suicidal thinking, smoking, alcohol consumption), the self-reported obesity (OR=1.14, 95% CI: 1.06-1.22) and self-reported underweight (OR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.03-1.20), compared to the self-reported healthy weight, were more likely to have depression-like symptoms. On the other hand, the BMI-based weight was not associated independently with depression-like symptoms. These findings suggest that weight perception is significantly associated with depression-like symptoms.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.71-80
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• 2016

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify sexual experiences and associated factors among middle and high school students in Korea. Methods: Data were analyzed from 74,186 participants who completed the 2012 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. Descriptive statistics were used to identify the condition of sexual behavior, and a complex sample logistic regression was used to examine the factors related to sexual behavior. Results: Data showed that 4.3% of adolescents had engaged in sexual intercourse (5.9% of males and 2.6% of females). According to the logistic regression analysis for complex samples, the school level, socioeconomic status, experience of part time work, and living with parents, were all factors associated with the decision to engage in sexual intercourse among boys and girls. In particular, sex education in schools was associated with a reduced risk of sexual intercourse. Conclusion: The results of this study highlight the importance of developing a program that focuses on enhancing sex education and promoting refusal and better decision-making skills in order to effectively reduce the likelihood of sexual experience among adolescents in Korea.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 2021

Purpose : This study examined the factors related to sexual intercourse among adolescents in South Korea. Methods : The study sample was comprised of 65,528 middle and high school students aged 12 to 18 years in 2016. For this study, using the data from the 12th Korea youth risk behavior web-based survey, a chi-squared test, and hierarchical logistic regression analysis we reconducted with the SPSS 22.0 program considering personal, family, school, and regional characteristics. Results : The proportion of adolescents who had sexual intercourse was 6.0 % of boys and 2.7 % of girls, and 6.3 % of high school students and 2.4 % of middle school students. The statistically significant related factors of sexual intercourse were gender, grade, attempted suicide, ever drinking, ever smoking, habitual or purposeful drug use, weekly allowance, and coed school in the final model 4. Adolescents with suicide attempts had 2.49 times more sexual intercourse than adolescents with no experience of suicide attempts. Compared to adolescents without alcohol, smoking, and habitual drug use, those who have experienced alcohol, smoking, habitual or purposeful drug use were 2.22 times, 3.76 times, and 3.39 times more likely to have had sexual intercourse, respectively. Adolescents with a weekly allowance of more than 100,000 won per week and adolescents in coed schools were 2.84 times and 1.40 times more likely to have had sexual intercourse, respectively. Conclusion : Multi-level interventions should be considered in school sexual education programs while considering the substantiality of sex education and the actual adolescents' needs. In addition, sexual health interventions in cyberspace for high-risk groups may be needed to consider the emotional and mental characteristics, given the factors related to sexual intercourse in adolescents.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.61-72
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• 2023

This study examined the changes of the dietary behaviors of Korean adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were obtained from 227,139 students aged 12-18 who participated in the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey from 2018 to 2021. The participants were divided into two groups: 117,343 students from the 2018-2019 survey and 109,796 from the 2020-2021 survey. Multiple regression analyses were used to calculate the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for dietary behavior changes between the two groups. The AOR for consuming carbonated beverages among those who consumed three or more times per week compared to those who did not consume carbonated beverages at all was 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.78-0.84), which significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001). Similarly, the AOR for consuming sweetened beverages between those with three or more times and not at all per week was 0.69 (95% CI: 0.67-0.72) (p<0.001). In contrast, there was a significant increase in the AORs for consuming fast food (AOR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.11-1.20) and skipping breakfast more than three times per week (AOR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.20-1.26) during the same period. Fruit intake decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic (AOR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.21-1.31). In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic had both positive and negative impacts on the dietary habits of Korean adolescents.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.295-302
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• 2019

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of adolescent health behavior on obesity using an online health behavior survey. The subjects of this study were 12,090 middle school students and 14,248 high school students among 26,338 Korean youths that responded to an online survey of youth health behaviors in 2018 (14th). There were significant differences in lifestyle, mental factors, exercise habits, and sitting habits as health behavior factors. The risk of obesity was higher in smokers (p<0.001), drinkers (p<0.001), those who ate breakfast less than four times a week (p<0.001), those who consumed fruit less than four times a week (p<0.001) and those who ate fast food less than two times a week (p<0.001). The obesity rate was higher in people with high-stress (p<0.05). Exercise habit as a factor was higher in the obesity rate than in physical activity by three times as much (p<0.001), whereas students categorized as muscular (p<0.01) had one to two times more physical activity (p<0.001). Students who had less than six hours of learning purpose were found to have higher obesity rates than those with more than six hours of learning purpose (p<0.001). In conclusion, the obesity rate did not increase with prolonged sitting habits, but did increase with longer sitting time except for those who studied purpose folly. Therefore, it is necessary to have a set time for internet use, as well as to educate schools about proper lifestyle, and to promote healthy exercise habits.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.202-213
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• 2009

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare health related behaviors among adolescents in the rural area with those in the urban area in Korea. Methods: The data source was the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey in 2005. With two stage cluster sampling, a total of 58,224 sample was selected from 799 middle and high schools nationwide. The area was classified into county area, small to medium city, and large city, and then the county area was considered as a rural area. Data was analyzed with STATA 9.0 using the method of complex survey data analysis considering sampling weight, strata, and primary sampling unit. Results: The prevalence of health related behaviors among adolescents in the rural area was higher than the city area as following health behaviors: smoking behaviors of smoking experience, smoking experience before entrance to middle school; drinking behaviors of frequent drinking, high risk behaviors with drinking; dietary behaviors of omitting of lunch or dinner, less intake of fruits or milk, more intake of cooky; oral hygiene of less tooth brushing, less preventive oral care, more oral symptoms and less dentist visit; safety behaviors of less wearing of safety belt or protective device; general hygiene of less hand washing before meal or after visiting rest room. Conclusions: The health behaviors among adolescents in the rural area were generally poorer than the city area. The results showed national health program for adolescents should be conducted primarily for those in rural areas. Further study is needed to explore the factors related with the discrepancy of health behaviors between the rural and urban area.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.305-314
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• 2009

Objectives : The physical activity of Korean adolescents and its distribution based on social characteristics have not yet been fully assessed. This study intends to reveal the distribution of physical activity by its subgroups and offer possible explanatory variables. Methods : The 3rd Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey was analyzed for this study. The appropriateness of physical activity was defined by Korea s Health Plan 2010 and physical inactivity was assessed independently. Family affluence scale, parents education levels, subjective economic status, grade, and school location were considered explanatory variables. All statistical analysis was conducted using SAS ver. 9.1. Results : The proportion of participants engaging in vigorous physical activity was high in males (41.6%), at a low grade (38.5%), within the high family affluence scale group (35.5%). The distribution of participants engaging in moderate physical activity showed similar patterns, but the overall proportion was lower (9.8%). Low family affluence and students with lower subjective economic status reported a higher prevalence of physical inactivity. In multiple logistic regression analysis for physical activity, significant factors included family affluence scale (p<0.05). For physical inactivity, family affluence scale, parents education levels, and subjective economic status were included as significant factors (p<0.05). Conclusions : The results suggest that the physical activity and inactivity of adolescents may be affected by socioeconomic variables, such as family affluence scale. This implies the need to take proper measures to address these socio-economic inequalities.