• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.121-128
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• 2018

Purpose: Obesity has been associated with higher total blood mercury levels, based on animal studies; however, studies that focus on children and adolescents are lacking. We aimed to assess the association between total blood mercury levels and the incidence of overweight and abdominal obesity in Korean adolescents. Methods: The study population comprised 1,567 adolescents (793 boys and 774 girls; aged 10-19 years), who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2013. We analyzed total blood mercury levels according to obesity status in all participants. Results: The geometric mean of total blood mercury levels was $1.93{\mu}g/L$. Participants with overweight ($2.20{\mu}g/L$) and obesity ($2.17{\mu}g/L$) had higher levels than those with normal weight ($1.86{\mu}g/L$, P<0.0001). The prevalence of overweight significantly increased with elevation of the total blood mercury quartile in both sexes. Increased incidence of abdominal obesity corresponding to increased total blood mercury level was observed in boys. After adjusting for covariates, those in the highest total blood mercury quartile were found to be at higher risk of overweight/obesity than those in the lowest quartile in both sexes (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: boys, 3.27 [1.66-6.41]; girls, 1.90 [1.03-3.49]). The association between total blood mercury quartile and abdominal obesity was significant after controlling for covariates in boys (2.35 [1.05-5.24]). Conclusion: Our results suggest an association between total blood mercury levels and overweight in Korean adolescents.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.626-635
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• 2018

To develop prevention messages for increasingly severe adolescent obesity in China. this study tested interaction effects between obesity involvement and message framing, and between obesity involvement and evidence types on obesity prevention attitudes and behavioral intentions. Message framing types are categorized with a gain frame and a loss frame. Evidence types are classified into narratives based on personal experiences and statistics based on objective numerical proofs. Three hundred sixty eight Chinese adolescents participated in the study. Results found that involvement, framing, and evidence types had significant effects on attitudes and behavioral intentions to obesity prevention. Adolescents highly involved in obesity were more likely to show positive attitudes and behavioral intentions when exposed to loss framing and statistical evidence. Those with low involvement showed positive attitudes and behavioral intentions after exposed to gain framing and narratives. Thus, we suggest that loss frames with numerical data should be developed to persuade adolescents with high involvement, and gain frames with narratives should be developed for those with low involvement.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.62 no.7
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• pp.261-268
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• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the time trends of waist circumference (WC) and waist-height ratio (WHR), and to present WC and WHR distributions with optimal WHR cutoff for abdominal obesity in Korean children and adolescents. Methods: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of data from 13,257 children and adolescents (6,987 boys and 6,270 girls) aged 6-18 years who were included in the third to sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2005-2015). Linear regression analyses were used to identify secular changes in WC and WHR by age, sex, and KNHANES waves. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the optimal WHR cutoff values for abdominal obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors. Results: The mean WC and WHR distributions from 2005 to 2015 showed no significant secular changes between the KNHANES 4 waves (P for trend ${\geq}0.05$ in all ages and both sexes). The mean WCs in the present study were lower than those in the 2007 Korean National Growth Charts. The mean WHR at ages <13 years was statistically higher in the boys than in the girls, but did not significantly differ between the sexes among those aged 13 to 18 years. The optimal WHR cutoff for abdominal obesity was 0.48 (area under the curve, 0.985; 95% confidence interval, 0.985-0.985) in the 13- to 18-year-old adolescents. Conclusion: WC and WHR showed no secular changes over 10 years. The optimal WHR cutoff for abdominal obesity of 0.48 is useful for diagnosing and managing obesity and thus preventing obesity-related cardiometabolic complications in 13- to 18-year-old Korean adolescents.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.18-31
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• 2000

Recently, the number of obese people have been increasing due to westernized diets and increased sedentary activity. In particular, obese adolescent have been newly recognized as having significant health problems. This study focuses on determining the gender difference of obese adolescents through implementation of a structured questionnaire on general characteristics, attitudes toward dieting, eating habits and emotional depression due to obesity. Data collection was carried out by 291 students in attendance at 3 high schools in Pusan from 11. 2. 1998 to 11. 30. 1998. The targets were 148 boys and 143 girls who were judged as obese in the school's physical check-up. The test of reliability of this research was calculated by chronbach's α. Data analysis was managed by computer and statistics by SPSS/WIN. The results of the survey are as follows: 1. For the questionnaire regarding attitudes toward dieting which include 28 items, 10 out of 28 items (about 36%)showed gender difference. 2. For the questionnaire regarding eating habits which include 17 items, 5 out of 17 items (about 30%)showed gender difference. 3.For the questionnaire regarding emotional depression about obesity, 30.6% of boys and 27.3% girls answered but no statistical significance. The results of this survey indicated that this study will be important as a good guideline for treating obese adolescents. It is hoped that much more research on gender difference in obese adolescents will be implemented in the future. In addition, the development of effective treatments for obesity should be based on the gender of the adolescent.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the nutritional status and dietary behavior of adolescents from North Korean refugee (NKR) families residing in South Korea (SK), who are known to be at a higher risk of malnutrition due to their lower socioeconomic status and facing other psychological challenges. Methods: A total of 178 adolescents (91 males and 87 females) from NKR families were included in the analysis, and their demographic details such as age, birthplace, parental nationality, and duration of their settlement in SK were collected through questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were also taken to determine their growth and nutritional status according to the 2017 Korean National Growth Charts for children and adolescents. The study used the Nutrition Quotient for Korean Adolescents (NQ-A) questionnaire to assess the dietary behavior of the participants. Results: Approximately 11.8% and 10.1% of participants were identified with malnutrition and obesity, respectively. The total mean score for the NQ-A was 50.1. The mean scores for the individual factors of balance, diversity, moderation, environment, and practice were 49.2, 44.7, 43.8, 51.2, and 61.5, respectively. Approximately 47.2% of participants had a low NQ-A grade. However, there was no significant difference in the NQ-A scores according to their nutritional status or duration of time in SK. Conclusions: Adolescents from NKR families exhibited both malnutrition and obesity. However, their dietary behavior, as assessed using the NQ-A, did not vary with their nutritional status. The unique challenges and related dietary behavior of North Korean adolescent refugees should be taken into consideration, when developing targeted strategies for nutritional education and health management programs.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2008

Objectives : This study was designed to evaluate completely the relationship between obesity and Qui Xue Shui diagnostic procedure in primary and middle school students. Methods : The study participants were the 1, 2nd grade students of middle school and 5, 6th grade students of primary school in Kang dong Gu of Seoul (1134 Students). The participants were measured for their height and weight etc, and they were also surveyed by questionnaire. We diagnosed the students as when they scored 10 points or behind on Qui Xue Shui(QXS) question problems from Japan education academy. Results and Conclusions : The mean QXS score in the obese group was significantly higher than that of the normal body weight group and the obeser they are, the higher QXS score is. The Qi xu, Qi yu, Xue xu, Shui chi score of the QXS questions the obese group was higher than the normal group. The total QXS score was significantly higher in the obese group. It is shown that the total score of using the Qui Xue Shui diagnostic procedure is mainly dependent on obesity.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.1-12
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• 2016

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between sitting time and BMI-defined low weight and overweight/obesity in Korean adolescents. Methods: Data were from Adolescent Health Behavior Online Survey (KYRBS) in 2015 including 63,345 adolescents aged 12-18 years. The analysis investigated low-weight and overweight/obesity odds ratio(OR) according to study sitting time and leisure sitting time adjusted for sex, school grade, social-economic status(SES), physical activity and sleeping time. Results: After adjusting for sex, school grade, SES, physical activity and sleeping time, study sitting time and leisure sitting time were not significantly associated with low-weight. However, leisure sitting time was positively associated with overweight/obesity. Conclusions: Health program to less sitting time should be established with consideration for differences in risk according to sex, age, SES and active leisure time through the school physical class should be provided to adolescents. Additionally, strategies to promote healthy weight are required to integrate sitting time, physical activity and sleeping time in Korean adolescents.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.14-31
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• 2016

Obesity of adolescents causes mental and physical problems as well as social problems, which need prevention and management. Although a number of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on obesity programs for adolescents were conducted, there is no study evaluating the programs based on CCM(Chronic Care Model), an organizing framework for improving chronic illness care. This study was conducted to review the features of studies in obesity management programs and interventions of the selected studies were evaluated in terms of inclusion of components of the Chronic Care Model. 4 databases were searched for relevant studies in obesity management programs, which were published from 1994 to 2014 in Korea. Results were analyzed in a qualitative way. 14 studies were satisfied inclusion criteria. The interventions most frequently utilized the elements of self-management support(66.7%) and only 1 of the studies included more than three components of CCM. This study presents the direction of health policies about managements of metabolic syndrome, which means that we identified effective process of the obesity management programs for adolescents in Korea and also this study will be used as a basic information for the development of obesity management program.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.2 s.61
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• pp.199-214
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• 1998

This study was undertaken to explain weight control behavior and intention of obese children and adolescents as measured by the elements of the health belief model. A total of 732 obese students from 28 schools in Seoul metropolitan area and their mothers were assessed with a self-administered questionnaire. The analyzed results are as follows; 1. Among obese students, 45.3% of male students and 57.2% of female students, a significantly higher portion than male students, reported that they had tried to lose weight within the recent year. Exercise was the most frequently used method to lose weight followed by diet control, drug use, and specialized clinic visits, in descending order. 2. Male students were more likely to try to lose weight if they perceived a low threat level and their mother had a job, and female students were more likely to try to lose weight if they were younger in age, perceived a low threat level and had strong external motivating factors. 3. Female students showed a significantly higher level of intention to obesity control than male students, and the intention level of their mothers also showed the same trend. 4. In male students, the degree of weight dissatisfaction, weight control experience, the level of obesity related beliefs of students, the educational level of the mother and economic status of the family were significant predictors of intention to obesity control, and in females, age, the level of obesity related beliefs of students and intention of their mothers were significant. In the mothers of male students, obesity index of students, age of the mother and the level of obesity related beliefs of the mother were significant predictors of intention of the mother, and in the mothers of female students, obesity index of students, occupational status of the mother and obesity related beliefs of the mother were significant. 5. According to the path model of intention to obesity control, the degree of weight dissatisfaction had the most powerful effect in male students, and perceived net benefit level was the most important variable in female students. Since the weight control behavior and intention of obese students were more predictable by the degree of weight dissatisfaction than the obesity index, we can conclude that only the students dissatisfied with their weight are well motivated for obesity control. There can be a discrepancy between the mother and her child's beliefs and intention status(especially in male students), so the therapists should also assess the student's opinion as well as the mother's. In female students, the perceived net benefit level wag the most important predictor of intention to obesity control, therefore the intervention program should pay particular attention to the positive benefits of weight control rather than negative aspects(threats) of obesity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.217-223
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• 2003

Purpose : Every year, there is a remarkable increase in the prevalence of children with excess body fat. The aim of this study is to find a useful screening method in assessing adolescent, obesity and to specify the predictable risk factors that are related to adult cardiovascular disease according to BMI and obesity index. Methods : From July to November in 2001, a total of 2,814(male : female=2,011 : 803) mid to high school students who were in the obesity range according to obesity index(>20%) were evaluated according to height, weight, body mass index(BMI), obesity index, and serum lipid levels. Results : Among the obese students over 20% by obesity index, 86.6% were over the range of 95 percentile by BMI. Among students defined as obese by BMI, 21.0% of males and 21.4% of females students had hypercholesterolemia; by obesity index, the ratio was 20.7% male and 19.0% female. The frequency of hypertriglyceremia in male students was 15.0% in group I(overweight group, 85P97p); in female students 11.8%, 20.7% and 28.2% respectively. Conclusion : In this study, using BMI alone to test the serum lipid level in adolescent obesity had a limit of 10.0-17.0% omission. Therefore using obesity index as a screening method to find the adult cardiovascular disease would rather reduce the omission rate. The risk factor of cardiovascular disease according to BMI was the increasing level of triglyceride in both male and female students. We think that using the obesity index has more rationale rather than BMI in assessing lipid profiles.