• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to determine the probability of overweight throughout childhood in relation to the presence of overweight at birch or in early childhood, and presence of overweight in children's parents. Weight and height measures were collected at birth and at ages of 7, 10, 12 years from 655 6th grade primary schoolchildren. Childhood overweight was defined as a body mass index at or above the 85th percentile for age and sex, and overweight in children's parents as a body mass index at or above 27. The prevalence of overweight increased with age of the children. Overweight at birth was not associated with overweight at 12 years of ages. However, overweight at 12 years old was already related to overweight at 7 years old. In comparison to non-overweight peers, overweight children at ages 7(OR = 7.64, 95% CI = 4.32-13.51) and 10 years(OR = 19.69, 95% CI = 11.42-33.94) had a higher rick of becoming overweight at 12 years of age. Among children who was overweight at age 7years, 60.7% remained overweight 5 years later, Yearly increment in BMI of overweight children was larger than that of non-obese children (1.15-1.65kg/m$^2$vs 0.50-0.71kg/m$^2$. As compared with the lower case in mealy increment of BMI, the probability of being overweight at age of 12 years was greater in higher case. BMI values at age 7years were positively correlated with BMI values at age of 10 and 127ear,i, and with annual increments in BMI. But those relationships with birth weight were not observed. Children were at greater risk for overweight if at least ogle parent was overweight. The odds ratio for child overweight associated with maternal overweight was 2.41(95% CI = 1,13-5.IS), and those associated with paternal overweight 1.70(95% CI = 0.92-3.17). And parents' BMIs were positively correlated with children's BMI values and yearly BMI increment. In conclusion, overweight at early childhood and annual inclement in BMI can be important in predicting the prevalence of overweight and the risk that overweight will remain after 7 years of age. The risk of being overweight throughout the childhood increases by the parents'overweight.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.177-187
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• 2002

This study was done to determine the factors associated with childhood overweight in 721 sixth grade elementary school students, in Busan. The students' heights, weights, waist circumferences and triceps-skinfold thicknesses were measured using standard techniques. Other data were collected using a questionnaire that included information about physical activity, television watching, and the amount of exorcise taken during leisure times, family history of diseases related to obesity: social data including family income, parents'education and occupations, eating behaviors; parental weights and heights; and parental activity levels. Childhood overweight was defined as a body mass index at or above the 85th percentile for age and sex. The prevalence of overweight revealed no significant difference between sexes, (24.2% in boys and 22.03% in girls). The risk of childhood overweight was significantly greater if either the mother or the father were overweight. The odds ratio for childhood overweight associated with maternal overweight was 5.045 (94% CI : 3.262-7.801), and 2.727 (95% CI : 1.764-4.218) was the case for parental overweight. Children having a history of hear diseases had higher odds ratios than those who did not. The odds ratios for overweight associated with income were not different. However, a higher odds ratio for overweight was observed in children whose fathers had only an elementary or middle school education than those whore fathers had a high school or college education. Children whose fathers' occupations were service workers or shopkeepers (OR : 3.314, 95% C = 1.851-5.934) or had no occupation (OR = 3.756, 95% CI : 1.898-7.430) had a treater risk of overweight than those whose fathers'were professionals or once workers. The risk of overweight increased in children having more irregular meal times and faster eating times, rather than those having an intake pattern of high energy and sugar containing floods. The amount of exercise taken during leisure times, and daily physical activity showed no difference between overweight and non-overweight children. However, television watching time, especially on weekends, was greater in overweight children than in non-overweight children. Television watching time was positively correlated with BMI, triceps-skin(31d thickness, waist circumference and waist/height ratio. Therefore, television watching was found to be a useful predictor of overweight in children. Television watching in children was negatively related to paternal activity levels, and positively related to parental television watching time. In fact, fathers whose children were overweight were physically less active than fathers whose children were non-overweight. Parents appeared to be a strong influence on their children's physical activity levels. In conclusion, a low family social class, defined on the basis of the father's occupation or education, parental overweight, increased television watching, and unhealthy physical activity levels in parents were all considered risk factors for childhood overweight. Among these, television watching time and lack of physical activity were considered to be the most important risk factors that could be easily modified for the prevention of and intervention in, overweight in children.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.175-187
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the potential risk factors - children's factors, parental factors, and familial-environmental factors - with respect to overweight and obesity in Korean preschool children. Methods: This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design and involved 264 pairs of mothers and preschool children aged 3-5 years (121 boys, 143 girls) attending daycare centers in C city. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify significant risk factors for overweight and obesity in preschool children. Results: According to the multivariate logistic regression, family history of diabetes mellitus as children's factors, overweight or obesity of both parents as parental factors were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of overweight and obesity in preschool children. In addition, lack of community space for physical activity as familial-environmental factors was significantly associated with increased likelihood of overweight and obesity. Conclusions: Health care providers should concerned with the risk of overweight and obesity in children with high risk familial factors, such as family history of obesity and diabetes mellitus. Moreover, policies should be set in place to make sure communities include space that foster physical activity in young children.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and to identify risk factors of overweight among preschool children in Korea. The study subjects were 750 children, aged 2-6, attending child care centers in Korea. A measurement of the height and weight of the children, as well as collection of wide range of variables including general characteristics, and potential factors related with dietary habit for children and their parents, were conducted. Overweight was defined based on more than 110% of ideal body weight. A logistic regression analysis was adopted to identify the factors associated with overweight. Subjects were classified into three categories according to the obesity index : underweight(PIBW〈90%, n=34), normal(90%$\leq$PIBW〈110%, n=577), and overweight(PIBW$\geq$110%, n=139). The overall prevalence of overweight and underweight of the subjects were 21.3% and 4.0% of the boys and 15.5% and 5.1% of the girls respectively. Parent's obesity was associated with a higher risk of overweight on girls. Subjects o the third quartile(girls) and fourth quartile(boys) of income level had a substantially higher risk of overweight than did those in the first quartile. Fast eating, overeating, and food prejudice were also associated with an increased risk of overweight. The results of a logistic regression analysis showed that the eating habits and food preferences of the children were the most influencial factors on overweight. These finding may imply the importance of early stage nutrition education on rational dietary habit to prevent prevailing obesity of preschool in Korea.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.326-329
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• 2013

Height and weight are important indicators to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI); measuring height and weight directly is the most exact method to get this information. However, it is ineffective in terms of cost and time on large population samples. The aim of our study was to investigate the validity of self-reported height and weight data compared to our measured data in Korean children to predict obese status. Four hundred twenty-two fifth-grade (mean age $10.5{\pm}0.5$ years) children who had self-reported and measured height and weight data were final subjects for this study. Overweight/obese was defined as a BMI of or above the 85th percentile of the gender-specific BMI for age in the 2007 Korean National Growth Charts or a BMI of 25 or higher (underweight : < 5th, normal : ${\geq}5th$ to < 85th, overweight : ${\geq}85th$ to < 95th). The differences between self-reported and measured data were tested using paired t-test. Differences based on overweight/obese status were tested using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and linear trends. Pearson's correlation and Cohen's kappa were tested to examine agreements between the self-reported and measured data. Although measured and self-reported height, weight and BMI were significantly different and children tended to overreport their height and underreport their weight, the correlation between the two methods of height, weight and BMI were high (r = 0.956, 0.969, 0.932, respectively; all P < 0.001), and both genders reported their overweight/non-overweight status accurately (Cohen's kappa = 0.792, P < 0.001). Although there were differences between the self-reported and our measured methods, the self-reported weight and height was valid enough to classify overweight/obesity status correctly, especially in non-overweight/obese children. Due to bigger underestimation of weight and overestimation of height in obese children, however, we need to be aware that the self-reported anthropometric data were less accurate in overweight/obese children than in non-overweight/obese children.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.311-316
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between birth weight and appetite related hormones, insulin resistance, and antioxidant status in overweight children aged 9-10 years. Thirty-four healthy overweight children (18 boys, 16 girls) were evaluated with respect to anthropometric measurement, lipid profiles, leptin, ghrelin, glucose, insulin, C-peptide, lipid soluble vitamins, and antioxidant enzyme activities. I found that birth weight was negatively correlated with insulin resistance parameters, ghrelin, and coenzyme Q10 levels. There was a significant positive correlation between present BMI and leptin level, while a negative correlation was noted between the BMI and $\alpha$-tocopherol and lycopene levels. When total subjects were classified into three groups by tertiles of birth weight, the lowest tertile of birth weight (LTB) group showed higher levels of fasting glucose, HOMA-IR, and ghrelin level than the highest tertile of birth weight (HTB) groups. On the other hand, HTB group showed an increased oxidative stress (decreased coenzyme Q10 level and catalase activity) compared to the LTB group. In conclusion, plasma ghrelin level might play an important role in accelerated growth in overweight children with LTB. Increased insulin resistance is present in overweight children with LTB, while decreased coenzyme Q10 and catalase activity in overweight children with HTB. These results suggest that birth weight might be an important factor for determination of treatment for obesity related complications in childhood obesity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.170-178
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• 2010

We conducted this study to determine the factors associated with childhood obesity. The subjects were 170 preschool children in Busan. Data were collected by using questionnaires which asked for information about socioeconomic status, parental perception of their child's weight status and dietary/physical activity behavior. BMI was calculated for each child and their classification was determined, according to their age and sex, as follows: "overweight" at or above the 85th percentile, "normal" for the 15th-85th percentile, and with a BMI below the 15th percentile the children were deemed as underweight. Classification according to BMI percentile showed that 23.5% ($18.25{\pm}1.33\;kg/m^2$) of the children were overweight, 62.9% ($15.51{\pm}0.76\;kg/m^2$) normal, and 13.5% ($13.23{\pm}2.86\;kg/m^2$) were underweight. Socioeconomic status, as represented by the parents' level of education, the occupation of the father and the household income, did not affect the results. However, mothers working outside the household was a factor that was more likely to affect the weight status (p<0.05). Among mothers whose children were overweight, 30% underestimated their children's weight status (believing them to be of normal weight when they were overweight), and 25% failed to recognize the necessity of weight control for their overweight children. While sedentary activity and total daily activity levels were not related to BMI, the level of physically active leisure activity was inversely correlated with BMI (p<0.05). Although there were no differences in total energy intake, dietary behavior was significantly related to weight status. Overweight children had poor eating tendancies: they eat faster (in less than 15 minutes), overeat, and eat late at night. Based on our findings where hereby recommended the following interventions to help limit weight problems in Korean pre-schoolers: early promotion of active leisure behavior and healthy eating habits, along with attempting to correct parental misperception of healthy weight status for children.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.145-151
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to investigate the related factors to child overweight through investigation of children aged 6-12. Data on physical examinations, family history and dietary habits were obtained. Children were classified into normal(98 persons) and overweight(118 persons) group using the combination of height for age, weight for age and weight for height standard by the World Health Organization. Children's height, weight and BMI exhibited a significant difference between groups except children aged 8 for height. Unbalanced diet was a risk factors for overweight(Odd ratio : 1.765, 95% CI : 1.022~3.048). Number of brothers showed negative significance especially in two brothers compared to that of one(Odd ratio : 0.456, 95% CI : 0.209~0.995). But Birth weight, feeding practice, overeating, taking nutrition pills, sleeping time, mother's education level and employmental status didn't have any difference. We found out there were different risk factors between obese and overweight group. They should be divided into different groups in studying risk factors. And we should pay much attention to overweight children in order to prevent improving to obesity.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.43 no.5 s.207
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• pp.199-219
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and to identify the related factors of overweight among young children. The study subjects were 138 children, aged 3-5, attending child care centers in the Kyungbuk area. We assessed a wide range of collected variables including general characteristics, anthropometric data, dietary habits, stress, food preferences, and food frequencies of young children, and anthropometric data and general characteristics of their parents. The results of this study were analyzed with $\chi$$^{2}$_ or t-test using SPSS package program. The subjects were classified into two groups using the weight for length index WLI criteria: normal group(n=101) and overweight group(n=37). Forty-nine percent of mothers of overweight children did not recognize their child's current overweight status. Scores for encountering criticized-violent situation stress, hurt-pride stress and total stress were higher in the overweight group than in the normal group. The frequency of snacking and the appetite of the overweight group were increased compared to those of the normal group. The overweight group had higher preferences for salad, kimbab, boiled rice with meat, vegetables and Chinese noodles, chicken, shell, banana, soybean milk, hotdog, and potato than the normal group. The overweight group showed higher consumption frequencies of pan-fried foods, egg, laver and strawbery compared to the normal group. Therefore, our results suggest that obese young children, as well as their parents, need more nutritional counseling education about dietary habits, food preference, recognition of normal weight and strategies for actively coping with stresstopreventandtreatobesityandtomaintainhealth. .