• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.113-130
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• 2015

This study is to identify urban characteristics affecting obesity of elementary, middle and high school students. Most of previous studies in Korea discussed healthy city focusing on adults. We list up possible urban characteristic factors that are considered to affect adolescent obesity from previous studies, and then conduct regression analysis to find policy implications in urban planning. Based on the physical examination data of adolescent students in Seoul from the Ministry of Education, we set the rate of obese students by school as a dependent variable. Urban characteristic variables are set as explanatory variables, and measured by buffer analysis within 500m, 1000m and 1500m. The result of regression analysis shows that the obese rate of students increases with adults' lower education level, higher rate of non-apartment houses, older age of houses and more homogeneous land use. However, the result does not indicate that population density, accessibility to public transportation and the urban park are significant factors for adolescent obesity. Based on this result, urban planning policy for promoting adolescent health should be discussed further.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 1999

Objectives. Few studies have attempted to explain the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity in Korea Especially the studies on same race with different SES at same time are good for SES influence estimation. The present study highlights the influence of SES of parents on adolescent obesity. The subjects are the same race, but live in different areas, with different SES, Seoul and Yangpung in Korea, and Yanbian in China. Methods. The cross-sectional study was conducted in Mar-Jun 1996. We carried out anthropometry, 24 hour-recall diet survey, self-reported questionnaire about sociodemographic characteristics and physical activity. For SES indicators, we used income and education of parents. Results. The relationship between SES of parents, defined as educational status, and obesity in boys in Korea and China is direct, but not significant. The relationship is inverse and nonsignificant among Korean girls, However, for the Korean girls in severe obesity, the relationship is significant. For the Korean-Chinese girls, there is an inverse relationship between the education level and obesity but a direct relationship between the income level of parents and obesity. For the Korean adolescent, there are a direct association between the SES of parents and the nutrients factors such as energy, protein, and fat intake. The energy expenditure of adolescent has no relationship with SES of parents. Conclusion. Among boys, the higher the SES, the greater the risk of obese. Among girls in Korea and Korean-Chinese, on the other hand, the lower the educational status of parents, the greater the risk of obese.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.77-92
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• 2010

Objectives The relationship between depression, obesity, life style of adolescents has been reported, but the results were not consistent. Thus this study was designed to find out the relationship. Methods The participants were the first and second grade middle school students. The participants were asked to measure their height and weight etc, and were asked to survey questionnaires. To diagnose the students' degree of depression, Children's Depression Inventory(CDI) by Kovas and Beck. Results The average depression score in the obese group was significantly higher than that of the normal body weight group. In addition, male obese group scored higher on CDI than the female obese group, and the obese group of participants who don't exercise, but like to play computer games and watch TV scored higher on CDI than the group who exercise and don't play computer games. Conclusions This study proved that depression in adolescent was closely related with obesity and obesity-related lifestyles. "The research was supported by the Kyung Hee University Research Fund in 2007"(KHU-20071638).

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.12
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• pp.619-627
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• 2021

Pediatric obesity has become a serious public health issue. The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents has increased worldwide and in Korea over several decades. Obese children are more likely to be obese adults with an increased cardiovascular risk. Therefore, maintaining a healthy weight and preventing obesity during childhood are of critical importance. Moreover, obese children and adolescents often have endocrine comorbidities such as prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, and central precocious puberty. Hence, the early implementation of obesity management using a multidisciplinary team approach and screening for these comorbidities in obese children and adolescents are required with the appropriate management of each comorbidity and/or specialist referral.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.342-350
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• 2010

This study investigates differences in middle school male students' anthropometric variables and dietary habits using BMI (Body Mass Index) classifications. $\chi^2$ -test for frequency and ANOVA test for mean value and duncan value were used to analyze results. Averaged results of three groups of middle school male students' anthropometry including height (normal group 164.4 cm, overweight group 165.0 cm, obese group 167.0 cm), weight (normal group 56.0 kg, overweight group 70.0 kg, obese group 83.2 kg) and waist circumference (normal group 20.7 cm, overweight group 79.8 cm, overweight group 89.6 cm) were resulted. Classification of obese group was based upon 2007 growth charts using BMI criteria. This study indicates the normal weight group boys have over-eating related dietary habits and the obese groups have less calorie dietary habits. They answered oppositely to normal recognition. The obese group reflected dietary problems, such as preferences for sweet fruit rather than normal group males. Dinnertime of the groups were significantly different and obese group's earlier dinnertime can influence on their late night snack eating. Forty precent of obese male group like fruits as late night eating food. Three meal amount of three groups were significantly different, as obese group answered they ate same amount at every meal. It can mean obese group ate more amount of food in every meal. Overweight and obese male students have dietary problem of fast eating and answers of unbalanced eating were higher in normal group. These could mean obese group eats well in every food and fast eating habit could lead a lot of food eating habit. Obese group chooses out-going food of less calorie and frequency of fast food eating was lower than normal group. In result, obese group answered that they have less calorie related dietary habits, it could mean their answers were false or fixed dietary habit. Therefore, more researches should be followed.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2011

Objectives : Obesity has been linked to various psychological problems as well as medical complications, especially among adolescents. Previous studies have suggested an association between body weight and depression or self-esteem ; however, there has been little evidence on self-perception of weight and mental health. The aim of this study was to examine the association of perceptional weight status with mental health in Korean adolescents. Methods : This study was based on data obtained from the third Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (2005). The study sample consisted of 583 adolescents (268 boys, 315 girls) aged 12-18 years, who had completed the health survey, the health examination, and the nutritional survey. Participants were divided into two groups based on the actual or perceptional weight status: non-obese and obese. Questionnaires for stress, depressive mood, and suicidal thoughts were utilized as mental health indicators. Results : The agreement between actual and perceptional weight status was moderate (k value, 0.585 ; p<0.01). The influencing factors for the discrepancy between actual and perceptional weight status were body mass index of subjects and their parents' education. The obese group was likely to have higher stress levels and more experience of depressive mood or suicidal ideation in regard to both actual and perceptional weight status. A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that girls who had perceived themselves as obese were more likely to have an experience of depressive mood than other girls (unadjusted OR, 4.98 ; adjusted OR, 5.15). Conclusion : An experience of depressive mood was significantly associated with the perception of weight status and not actual weight status in Korean female adolescents.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.119-129
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate mental health problems in obese child and adolescent patients. We assess the frequency of mental health problems and their differences according to sex, school grade and severity of obesity. Methods: The sample consisted of 106 children and adolescents aged 8-16 years (61 boys with mean age $10.98{\pm}2.26$, 45 girls with mean age $9.74{\pm}1.96$, p=.004) who were diagnosed with obesity and recruited at the Department of Pediatrics of Jeju National University Hospital. The participants completed the Korean-Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL), Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), Korean version of the Eating Attitude Test-26 (KEAT-26), and somatotype drawings. Results: The percentage of participants having a T-score in clinical range on one or more CBCL subscale was 37.7%. The percentage of participants in the high risk group for depression (CDI score above 17) was 20.8% and that in the high risk group for eating disorder (EAT-26 score above 20) was 6%. The girls showed significantly lower CBCL T-scores in social competence ($48.39{\pm}15.66$ vs. $38.91{\pm}22.04$, p=.011), adjustment function ($49.51{\pm}17.35$ vs. $40.38{\pm}22.58$, p=.020) and school competence ($53.34{\pm}10.47$ vs. $48.22{\pm}15.11$, p=.042) than the boys, but the percentages of boys and girls in clinical range were not significantly different. The middle school students showed (significantly) higher CBCL T-scores in somatic symptoms ($60.86{\pm}9.44$ vs. $55.74{\pm}6.76$, p=.005), aggressive behavior ($58.81{\pm}6.74$ vs. $54.68{\pm}6.22$, p=.009), total problems ($59.86{\pm}9.91$ vs. $54.88{\pm}9.76$, p=.039) and externalizing problems ($57.90{\pm}10.57$ vs. $52.44{\pm}9.38$, p=.022) than the elementary school students. The severe obesity group showed significantly higher CBCL T-scores in attention problems ($59.18{\pm}9.45$ vs. $54.15{\pm}5.34$, p=.001), social problems ($59.25{\pm}8.59$ vs. $55.96{\pm}6.50$, p=.038), delinquent behavior ($58.07{\pm}6.97$ vs. $54.73{\pm}6.00$, p=.017) and total problems ($59.21{\pm}11.65$ vs. $54.67{\pm}9.03$, p=.037) than the mild to moderate obesity group. Conclusion: Significant proportions of obese children and adolescents suffer from mental health problems. Clinicians need to pay attention to the mental health risk, especially in obese adolescents and severely obese children and adolescents.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.11
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• pp.1172-1178
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• 2005

Purpose : Childhood Obesity is increasing throughout the world, and it is known to incur many diseases especially in later life such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between obesity and insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3(IGFBP-3) and know if these factors are useful in predicting cardiovascular diseases. Methods : The study group consisted of 64 moderate and severe obese adolescents and the controls were normal adolescents of the same age. body mass index(BMI) was calculated by height and weight; systolic and diastolic blood pressure was measured at resting state. After 10-hour fasting period, blood cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol, low density lipoprotein(LDL) cholesterol, glucose, insulin, free fatty acid, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were measured. Results : Insulin was significantly higher in the obese adolescent group than the control group(obese group $15.6{\pm}7.0{\mu}IU/mL$, P<0.01). IGF-I was also significantly higher in the obese adolescent group than the control group(obese group $498.1{\pm}122.2ng/mL$, P<0.05). In addition, IGFBP-3 was significantly higher in the obese adolescent group than the control group(obese group $3,777{\pm}4,721ng/mL$, P<0.05). Insulin showed significantly positive correlation with BMI(r=0.3944) and obesity index(r=0.34). IGFBP-3 were significantly correlated with obesity index(r=0.419), diastolic blood pressure (r=0.264) and BMI(r=0.247). Insulin resistance index significantly positive correlation with BMI(r=0.595), blood triglycerid level(r=0.515) and obesity index(r=0.469). Conclusion : Serum insulin, insulin resistance index, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels may be useful to predict cardiovascular diseases in adolescent obesity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.292-297
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• 2011

Purpose: Our study aimed to evaluated sex differences in clinical features of obese high school students. Methods: One hundred three obese high school students (body mass index [BMI]${\geq}$85th percentile) and 51 control students (BMI<85th percentile) were enrolled in this study. Anthropometric measurements were performed. Fasting serum glucose, insulin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and high-sensitive C-reactive protein were measured. Abdominal fat thickness, degree of fatty liver, and carotid intima-media thickness were measured by ultrasound. Results: In control and obese groups, waist circumference was significantly longer in boys but body fat mass was Significantly higher in girls. In the control group, total cholesterol and LDL-C were higher in girls. In the obese group, however, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and triglyceride were higher and HDL-C was lower in boys. Preperitoneal fat thickness was significantly higher in obese girls. In obese group, the degree of fatty liver was significantly higher in boys. Carotid intima-media thickness was not significantly different between boys and girls. Conclusion: Obese adolescents had distinguishable sex differences in body measurements, metabolic abnormalities, abdominal fat thickness and fatty liver. We can infer that these characteristics may extend into adult obesity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.175-180
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• 2012

Yoga has been known to have stimulatory or inhibitory effects on the metabolic parameters and to be uncomplicated therapy for obesity. The purpose of the present study was to test the effect of an 8-week of yoga-asana training on body composition, lipid profile, and insulin resistance (IR) in obese adolescent boys. Twenty volunteers with body mass index (BMI) greater than the 95th percentile were randomly assigned to yoga (age $14.7{\pm}0.5$ years, n=10) and control groups (age $14.6{\pm}1.0$ years, n=10). The yoga group performed exercises three times per week at 40~60% of heart-rate reserve (HRR) for 8 weeks. IR was determined with the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). After yoga training, body weight, BMI, fat mass (FM), and body fat % (BF %) were significantly decreased, and fat-free mass and basal metabolic rate were significantly increased than baseline values. FM and BF % were significantly improved in the yoga group compared with the control group (p<0.05). Total cholesterol (TC) was significantly decreased in the yoga group (p<0.01). HDL-cholesterol was decreased in both groups (p<0.05). No significant changes were observed between or within groups for triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR. Our findings show that an 8-week of yoga training improves body composition and TC levels in obese adolescent boys, suggesting that yoga training may be effective in controlling some metabolic syndrome factors in obese adolescent boys.