• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.386-395
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• 2008

Since obesity has been a crucial issue regarding children's health in Korea, numerous studies have been conducted. However, it is difficult to locate studies that can help researchers and/or medical professionals who want to study behavioral differences between obese and normal weight (non-obese) children. The collected literature about obese childrens behaviors were accumulated by performing 'key word' searches from several web engines: 'obesity' 'children obesity' 'behavior' 'habit' 'eating behavior or habit' 'exercise' 'physical activity' and 'daily behavior'. The information was extracted and the behaviors were reviewed utilizing 30 papers that revealed any differences from normal weight children with at least p .05 level of significance. According to those studies, the obese children tended to skip meals more often as a method of losing weight. They also have an increased appetite, eat larger portions and rarely leave food on their plates. The obese children prefer to eat high fat, high calorie foods and eat faster than their normal weight counterparts. Also, the children usually eat alone and eat at irregular meal times. Beside the behaviors related to the standard three meals a day, obese children have high preferences for snacking. The children reported that with pocket money they usually eat certain types of snacks without parent approval. The children stated that they exercise more on a regular basis. However, when asked about their participation they were not likely to engage actively. Meanwhile, they tend to spend free time doing sedentary activities such as watching TV or playing on the computer. Since these studies used self -reported questionnaires with a small sample, size there may be difficulty in forming a basis about obese children's behaviors. Nevertheless, these findings are in accordance with other studies conducted in local as well as western countries. In conclusion, obese children have different daily behaviors or routines from normal weight children. It is recommended that altering these behavioral patterns to match those of normal weight children should be encouraged.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.586-597
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• 2000

The nutrition knowledge and food attitude of obese children were assessed and compared with their normal children counterparts to provide information for nutrition education programs. One hundred forty six obese children and 92 normal children from the fourth to sixth grade in Bucheon and Anyang elementary schools of Kyeong-gi Province were selected for the study. A multiple choice questionnaire, including 12 items of general nutrition knowledge and 13 items of weight control, were used to test the nutrition knowledge of children. The results of this study are as follows : 1) 57.5% of male and 40.9% of female obese children had experience with weight control, but the rate of correct answers on the nutrition knowledge test ranged from 53% to 58%, which does not show any significant difference between the two groups. The rate of correct answers on items conrerning 'general nutrition knowledge' and 'nutrition knowledge for weight control' did not show any significant difference among the two groups. 2) Obese male students showed a higher rate of correct answers(59.2%) on items of 'the proper food selection for obese children', compared with their counterparts and also obese female students showed a higher rate of correct answers(88.6%) on 'physical exercise', compared with their counterparts. 3) The rate of correct answers on nutrition knowledge of 'basic food groups', 'the functions of iron and vitamins', 'the concept of energy', and 'the principle of weight change' were lower than 40%. 4) The obese children frequently did not have breakfast, overate during lunch in many cases, and had low recognition on knowledge that was necessary to weight control. 5) Only 30.9% and 22.7% of male and female obese children replied that they would participate in weight control programs. However, 53.6% of males and 68.2% of females did not show any concern in participating the programs. From these results, it was suggested that it is necessary to motivate the obese to participate in weight-control program. When developing nutrition education programs for the obese, the contents of the questions that showed a low correct answering rates should be emphasized.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.192-203
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare physical self-concept, academic self-concept and depression among obese and over-weight and normal weight children. Methods: The 6th grade children in two elementary schools (n=287) completed self-report questionnaires measuring self-concept and depression. Results: The mean score of depression and self-concept in normal weight children were 9.76 and 92.59. In obese and over-weight children, depression and self-concept were 12.31 and 86.69 respectively. Subjects who were obese and over-weight showed significantly lower scores of physical self-concept (t=-4.621, p<.001) but not significantly low in academic self-concept (t=-1.065, p=.288) than normal weight children. Meanwhile, this study shows that subjects who were obese and over-weight were significantly higher level of depression than subjects in normal weight (t=2.480, p=.014). Conclusion: In conclusion, obese and over-weight children showed negative aspects in the developmental course. This study demonstrates that obese and over-weight children should be treated as a risk group who needs any professional help such as a school mental health program for normal development.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.482-491
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• 2007

This study was carried out to find out differences about meal conditions and food preference between non-obese and obese elementary school children. Ten children(non-obese 5 and obese 5) from each of the nationwide 192 schools were surveyed by self-developed questionnaire. Total of 1,767 questionnaires(815 from non-obese and 952 from obese children) were collected and data were analyzed using SPSS 12.0 program. The results of the comparative analysis were summarized as follows. There was not significantly different in height between non-obese $group(151.0{\pm}12.5cm)$ and obese $group(151.2{\pm}12.3cm)$. But BMI was significant difference between non-obese $group(18.0{\pm}2.2cm)$ and obese $group(27.3{\pm}3.2cm)$. Economical status was not significantly different between 2 groups. But educational level of parents and mother’ job were significant differences between 2 groups. Only 2/3 of the subjects reported to have breakfast at regular basas, regularity of having breakfast was not significantly different between 2 groups. Also regularity of having lunch during vacation was not significantly different between 2 groups. But Reasons of skipping breakfast and lunch were significantly different between 2 groups. Regularity of having dinner, reasons of skipping dinner, intake amount in dinner, and frequency of having snacks were significantly different between 2 groups. But the time required for lunch and dinner were under 20 minutes of 60-80% of the subjects, and were not significantly different between 2 groups. Non-obese group have liked fast foods, fruits & juices, sweets, and cakes & cookies than obese group. Obese group have liked meat & meat products and ramyeon, but they have not eaten those foods frequently because of anxiety about being more fatty. These findings suggested that nutrition education programs include different strategy according to obesity and obese prevention program is needed for non-obese school children.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.212-217
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• 2007

This study compared obese children's food group intakes with the new Dietary References Intakes for Koreans (KDRIs) food guides for 5th-6th grade school children. This study also determined the extent of sedentary life styles related with obesity in this area of children. This is it cross-sectional study of 799 school children. The dietitian sent a survey form describing the project and a questionnaire to the subject's family. The questionnaire included child demographics, family history of chronic diseases, the daily servings of five food groups, such as grains, meat and beans, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables. The daily or weekly hours of physical activity, television viewing, and computer usage were also surveyed. Obesity index (%) of the subjects was calculated, and children with an obesity index (%) equal to or greater than 20 were classified as the obese. Among the 799 participants, 50.7% were female. The percentages of the normal and the obese were 691 (86.5%) and 108 (13.5%) respectively. Obese children reported eating less vegetables (p<0.05), more high sugar snacks (p<0.05), and high fat snacks (p<0.05) than normal children. No significant differences in food servings of grains, meats and beans, and fruits, and dairy products between the normal and the obese were shown. Obese children reported fewer hours of physical activities (p<0.05) and more hours of computer usage (p<0.05) than normal children. Girls showed less likelihood of being obese (odds ratio, 0.575, CI (0.38, 0.87), p<0.05). More hours of physical activity significantly decreased the likelihood of being obese (odds ratio, 0.572, CI (0.35, 0.92), p<0.05). Family history of obesity almost doubled the likelihood of obesity in children (odds ratio, 2.653, CI (1.660, 4.241), p<0.05). In conclusion, frequent snacking, inadequate vegetable consumption, and sedentary lifestyle increased significantly the likelihood of obesity in children, which suggest that obesity intervention in this age group should focuse more on those variables.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.199-218
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• 2002

This study was conducted to examine obese children's self-efficiency feeling and health promotion behavior in order to provide basic information on prevention of children obesity. Data were collected in June, 2001 from 349 normal weight children and 351 obese children, who were fifth or sixth graders at 14 primary schools located in Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Ansan, chungju, and Gumi. The data were analyzed through using Chronbach's $\alpha$, frequency analysis, $X^2-test$, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation. The results of this study can be summarized as follow. 1. The factor of children obesity was significantly different in the variables of sex, parents obesity, brother or sister obesity, father's occupation, level of living, health condition, and satisfaction level with their bodies. On the other hand, it was not significantly different in the variables of father's education level, mother's education level, mother's occupation, level of father's concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. 2. In the case of normal weight children, dietary efficiency feeling was significantly different in the variables of level of father's concern about health and level of children's concern about health. In th case of obese children, the dietary efficiency feeling was significantly different in the variables of mother obesity, parents' education level, father's occupation, and the children's satisfaction level with their bodies. In the case of normal weight children, exercise efficiency feeling was significantly different in the variables of sex, level of parents's concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the exercise efficiency feeling was significantly different in the variables of grade, brother and sister obesity, parents' education level, father's occupation, and the children's satisfaction level with their bodies. In the case of normal weight children, social efficiency feeling was significantly different in the variables of brother and sister obesity, parents' education level, level of parents' concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the social efficiency feeling was significantly different in the variables of parents' education level, father's occupation, level of living, the children's health condition, and the children's satisfaction level with their bodies. 3. In the case of normal weight children, personal hygiene was significantly different in the variables of sex, level of parents's concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the personal hygiene was significantly different in the variables of parents' education level, father's occupation, mother's occupation, level of living, and level of parents' concern about health. In the case of normal weight children, dietary habit was significantly different in the variables of sex, level of parents's concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the dietary habit was significantly different in the variables of father's education level, mother's education level, level of living, and the children's satisfaction level with their bodies. In the case of normal weight children, exercise habit was significantly different in the variables of grade, sex, father's education level, mother's education level, and level of children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the exercise habit was significantly different in the variables of grade, mother obesity, parents' education level, father's occupation, level of parent' concern about health, the children's health condition, and the children's satisfaction level with their bodies. In the case of normal weight children, prevention of infectious diseases was significantly different in the variables of sex, father's occupation, level of parents' concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the prevention of infectious diseases was significantly different in the variables of mother's education level and father's occupation. In the case of normal weight children, prevention of accident was significantly different in the variables of mother's education level, level of parents' concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the prevention of accident was significantly different in the variables of brother and sister obesity and mother's occupation. In the case of normal weight children, mental health was significantly different in the variables of father obesity, brother and sister obesity, parents' education level, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the mental health was significantly different in the variables of parents' educational level, father's occupation, mother's occupation, level of living, and the children's health condition. 4. According to the correlation between self-efficiency feeling and health promotion behavior, the higher the self-efficiency feeling was, the higher the level of health promotion behavior was. 5. The children obesity was influenced by the factors of level of living, level of parents' concern about health, the children's health condition, level of the children's concern about health, the children's satisfaction level with their bodies, dietary efficiency feeling, exercise efficiency feeling, social efficiency feeling, personal hygiene, dietary habit, exercise habit, prevention of infectious diseases, prevention of accident, and mental health. From the results of this study, it is clear that obese children's self-efficiency feeling is closely related with health promotion behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen children's self-efficiency feeling in order to make children control efficiently obesity for themselves.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.5
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• pp.383-392
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• 2010

This study was conducted to prepare basic materials and offer advice regarding dietary habits to prevent and cure childhood obesity by comparing and analyzing dietary habit, nutritional status, blood factors, and mineral contents of hair. All subjects were stratified by their weight-length index (WLI). According to the standard WLI values, 64.9% of children were within the normal value, 13.5% of children were underweight, and 21.6% of children were overweight and obese (WLI ${\geq}$ 110%). Overall, the score assessed dietary habit for all children was $21.32{\pm}2.55$ point (921 subjects), with 5.1% of children having excellent dietary habits and 3.1% having poor dietary habits. Additionally, 37.9% of underweight children, 37.6% of normal weight children, and 43.2% of overweight and obese children consumed higher amounts of protein than underweight children did (meat, fish, eggs, and soy products) (P < 0.05). Overweight and obese children consumed more fried foods than underweight or normal weight children (P < 0.05). Moreover, 38.0% of the children had hemoglobin levels of 12 g/dl, while 7.6% were anemic (11.1 g/dl). When a hematocrit level of 33% was taken as the standard, 11.0% of children were anemic. The plasma transferrin content was $263.76{\pm}54.52$ mg/dl in overweight and obese children. The mean values of Fe, Cu, Ca, Cr, Mn, Se, Na, K, Li, V, Co, and Mo were within the reference values, but the Zn concentrations of underweight, normal weight, and overweight and obese children were $67.97{\pm}28.51$ ppm, $70.09{\pm}30.81$ ppm, and $73.99{\pm}30.36$ ppm, respectively. The Zn concentration of overweight and obese children ($73.99{\pm}30.36$ ppm) was lower than that of the standard value (180~220 ppm). Therefore, a nutritional education program and new guidance for dietary pattern should be developed to reduce the number of underweight and overweight and obese children.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.133-148
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• 1995

Recently, childhood obesity is increasing in Korea mainly due to westernized dietary pattern. The purpose of this study is to investigate diet pattern(habit and behavior), nutritional knowledge and taste favor in normal and obese children. We carried out anthropometries and self questionaire about life style among the 5th-grader in elementary school(88 boys, 102 girls) in Seoul. The results are as follows : Physical conditions are boys’average hight and weight 142.0cm, 37.5kg ; and girls’143.7cm, 35.6kg. BMI are normal group 38.7% and abnormal group 61.3%(obese 24.2% underweight 16.1% overweight 14.0% very underweight 7.0%) A great part of obese children live in apartment house(79.5% of obese children in southern Seoul; 60.2% in northern Seoul). Obese parents have obese children. Diet behavior, diet pattern, food habit and food preferance of children are similar to their parents, especially their mothers. Preferance in taste of children follows in order of hot, sweet and mild. Especially obese children favor sweet taste more than others. The 61% of them are interested in weight control. Their nutritional knowledges are poor(4.9/10). They like more westernized food(hamberger) than korean food(In-jul-me).

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.99-110
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of obese school children's life style habits in order to help school nurse in controlling and preventing the obesity by health education The survey group is extracted from the students of two elementary schools located in Seongnam city Out of 280 children randomly sampled, 102 children were evaluated to be obese and 178 ones to be normal by the standard of the 1985 Korea Pediatric Association Height and Weight Standard Chart The obese children group was compared with the normal one. For this purpose, the surveyors designed a self questionnaire to obtain the description of general background, exercise including play behavior, eating behavior, and family environment of the sampled children. The results are as follows The number of the obese children who took extracurricular physical exercises was significantly (p<0.05) more than that of the normal ones The significantly (p<0.05) more obese children went without a meal to control their weight than the normal ones. In relation to the degree of obesity, the children with the high degree of obesity watched the television significantly (p<0.05) longer than the ones with the mild and the moderate degree of obesity In gender relations, the obese girls participate in outdoorplays and physical exercises significantly (p<0.05) longer and more regularly than the normal ones, while no significant difference was found between the male groups The obese boys had significantly (p<0.05) their mothers occupying in a vocation. Combining television watching habit and mother's vocation of the obese boy, the obesity is resulted from complicated situation It can not be due to the simple absence of the mother, but rather due to the absence of a person responsible for controlling snacking and television watching time of the child Looking at the results, it is necessary for both school and home to actively involve in guiding children and providing an environment to modify life style habits and prevent childhood obesity.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.630-641
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• 2022

Purpose: In this study, we assessed the intake of nutrients and food groups and analyzed the nutrition quotient of obese children in South Korea. The hypothesis was that dietary quality and nutrient intake are related to the body mass index (BMI) of obese children. Methods: The participants included 48 children (20 boys and 28 girls). Based on the guidelines for the age-for-body mass index provided by the Korean National Growth Charts for children and adolescents, the participants were divided into 3 groups: overweight, BMI ≥ 85th percentile; obese, BMI ≥ 95th percentile; severely obese, BMI ≥ 99th percentile. Results: The energy distribution showed that the carbohydrate ratio was significantly higher in the overweight group (p < 0.01), whereas the fat ratio was significantly higher in the obese and severely obese groups (p < 0.05). Thus, in the overweight and obese groups, the percent body fat was negatively associated with the carbohydrate ratio (p < 0.05) but was positively associated with the fat ratio (p < 0.05). The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) data revealed that the intake levels of protein, vitamin B₁, vitamin B₁₂, and sodium were higher in all groups. Intakes of fiber, calcium, potassium, and magnesium were insufficient in all groups, and the DRI percent for protein was significantly higher in the obese and severely obese groups than in the overweight group. No significant differences were obtained in food group patterns or Nutrition Quotient (NQ) scores among the 3 groups. According to the evaluation results by food record and NQ, a significant difference was obtained in the dietary quality of obese children. Conclusion: We conclude that a higher intake of fat enhances weight gain. Based on the study results, we propose that the guidelines should consider the energy distribution of carbohydrate and fat intake to prevent and control obesity among Korean children.