• 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.

• 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 the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.933-941
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• 2015

This study investigated differences in nutritional knowledge and eating habits of adolescents living in rural and urban areas of Inner Mongolia, China. A survey was conducted on 869 middle school students in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia: 436 from urban and 433 from rural school. Subjects answered a questionnaire about socio-economic characteristics such as parents' education level and family affluence scale, nutritional knowledge, needs for nutritional education and food habits. Levels of parents' education (p<0.001) and family affluence (p<0.001) were significantly higher in urban students. Nutritional knowledge level of urban students was higher than that of their counterparts (p<0.001). However, rural students reported higher needs for nutritional education (p<0.001). Rural students more frequently consumed snacks (p<0.001) and instant noodles (p<0.001) than urban students. However, consumption frequencies of lunch (p<0.001), dinner (p<0.001), fast food (p<0.001), fruits (p<0.001), vegetables (p<0.001), and milk (p<0.001) were higher in urban students. Considering differences in eating patterns between urban and rural students in Inner Mongolia, appropriate nutritional education programs and nutritional policies should be established for rural students to promote a healthy diet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.81-91
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• 2017

Purpose: This cross-sectional study was carried out to identify factors influencing the health-related quality of life according to socioeconomic level during early adolescence. Methods: Participants were 617 middle school students in $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ grade. All measures were self-administered. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0 program and factors affecting the health-related quality of life were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. Results: According to the level of Family Affluence Scale (FAS), 19.1% of the participants were in the high class, 66.5% in the middle class, and 14.4% in the low class. We have found statistically significant differences among the high, middle, and low classes regarding the health-related quality of life, health perception, resourcefulness, family function, and social capital. The most influential factors of the health-related quality of life were found to be resourcefulness, family function, and social capital in the high and the middle class. Conclusion: The implication of this study is that it is important for the Education Ministry and middle school teachers to help adolescents develop internal coping resources as well as to develop school-curriculums considering social values and norms related to social capital in order to improving their health-related quality of life.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.53-62
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations among self-rated health and socioeconomic status. Methods: Analyses were conducted based on cross-sectional data obtained from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. A total of 79,202 students aged 12 to 18 years participated in the study and there was a response rate of 95.5%. Separate logistic regression analyses were performed on each gender group based on a set of independent variables. Those being: the level of parental education level; family affluence scale; subjective household economic status; and subjective school achievement with SRH as the dependent variable. Results: Multivariate analyses revealed significant associations between each SES and adolescent SRH after controlling for other covariates. However, in the models that included all SES indicators, subjective household economic status and subjective school achievement remained significant in boys and girls. Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that subjective SES indicators are more closely related to adolescent SRH when compared with objective indicators.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.165-176
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of socio-demographic factors on food consumption frequencies among adolescents in Korea. Data were obtained from the Seventh Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2011 KYRBS), a nationwide representative sample of 75,643 (37,873 males and 37,770 females) middle and high school students. It was carried out as a self-administered on-line survey. The frequency of eating breakfast was 4.8 times per week for middle school students and 4.6 times per week for high school students (p < 0.001). Higher levels of perceived household economic status, family affluence scale (FAS) and education attainment of mother were associated with more frequent breakfast eating. The frequencies of consumption of vegetables and milk were higher in males than in females (p < 0.001). The frequency of consumption fruits was higher in females than in males (p < 0.01). Higher levels of perceived household economic status, FAS and education attainment of mother were associated with more frequent consumption of vegetable, fruits and milk. The frequencies of consumption of soda, fast food and instant noodls were higher in males than in females (p < 0.001). The frequency of consumption of snacks was higher in females than in males. Adolescents with lower levels of FAS and education attainment of mother were at risk for skipping breakfast and consuming of soda, fast food and instant noodls more frequently. Whereas, adolescents with higher levels of FAS, education attainment of mother were more likely to be frequent consumers of vegetable, fruits and milk. These findings demonstrated that being high school students and belonging to lower level of socio-economic status (SES) were associated with undesirable food habits.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.24-35
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• 2012

Purpose: This research was performed to investigate Korean adolescents' body weight perception, appropriate weight change efforts, and factors that influencing these efforts. Methods: The data were obtained from 68,136 adolescents, aged 12~18 years from the 2007 Third Korean Youth' Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. Descriptive statistical analysis and odds ratio were calculated by logistic regression. Results: The distribution of the body mass index differed in boys and girls. The accuracy of body weight perception was shown in the order of the underweight (91.6%), overweigh t (73.3%), normal weight (55.4%), obesity (41.3%) groups. Adolescents with high perceived economic status tended to have a high prevalence of accuracy of body weight perception. The distribution of appropriate weight change efforts according to the actual body mass index showed that girls were trying to lose weight more than boys. The results of a logistic regression analysis regarding appropriate weight change efforts showed differences according to gender, perceived economic status, mother's educational level, and family affluence scale. Conclusion: Appropriate body weight perception and change management plans are needed for Korean adolescents. In addition, active weight change programs have to be established in the adolescents' living environments, such as schools.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.158-168
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• 2014

Objectives: To identify and evaluate the trend of meal-skipping rates among Korean adolescents with their contributing causes and the influence of household income level on meal skipping. Methods: Using 2008, 2010, and 2012 data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey of 222 662 students, a cross-sectional study with subgroup analysis was performed. We calculated odds ratios for skipping each meal 5 or more times in a week by household socio-economic status using a multiple logistic regression model. The secular change in the meal-skipping rates by the students' family affluence scale was analyzed by comparing the meal-skipping students within each subgroup and odds ratios for the same event over time. Results: Through 2008 to 2012, most of the meal-skipping rates generally showed a continuous increase or were almost unchanged in both sexes, except for breakfast skipping in several subgroups. Students in low-income households not living with both parents had the highest meal-skipping rates and odds ratios for frequent meal skipping. In a time-series subgroup analysis, the overall odds ratios for the same event increased during 2008 to 2012, with a slight reduction in the gap between low and higher income levels with regard to meal skipping during 2010 to 2012. Conclusions: Household socio-economic status and several other factors had a significant influence on Korean adolescent meal-skipping rates. Although the gap in eating behavior associated with household socio-economic differences is currently decreasing, further study and appropriate interventions are needed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.218-228
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence rate and correlates of weight control behaviors among adolescents in Korea. We analyzed data on 37,472 adolescents aged 12-18 years from the 2011 7th Korea Youth Risk Behavior web-based Survey. The results of this study was as following. First, the prevalence rate of healthy, unhealthy and extreme weight control behaviors was significantly higher in girls than in boys. Second, in both genders, healthy and unhealthy weight control behaviors were more common among obese adolescents than non-obese adolescents. But, use of diet pills were not prescription by doctor was more common in underweight boys and obese girls than others. Third, gender, school, family affluence scale, mother's education level, body shape perception(BSP), weight status predicted prevalence rate of healthy weight control behaviors. Gender, school, region, father's education level, BSP predicted prevalence rate of unhealthy weight control behaviors. Gender, school, BSP, weight status predicted prevalence rate of extreme weight control behaviors. These findings suggest the needs to design appropriate prevention program that can induce healthy weight control behaviors.