Analysis of the contributing factors of Jeju-do's high obesity rate in South Korea

Abstract

Obesity, particularly in children and adolescents, is a leading cause of chronic disease throughout life. This study aims to identify the factors that are associated with the highest obesity prevalence among Korean children and adolescents in Jeju-do. This study analysed a total of 483,034 data records from student health examinations conducted by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea between 2017 and 2022, suing descriptive statistics and chi-square tests in R version 4.3.11. In Jeju-do, the normal students consumed soft drink and fast food three or more times per week, watched TV, played games or used the internet for more than 2 hours per day, thought about running away, had no one to talk to about their problems, and worried about family issues more frequently than students in other regions. The obese students in Jeju-do had a statistically significant higher intake of instant noodles and fast food compared to those in other regions. Comparing normal and obese elementary students in Jeju-do, the obese group had a significantly higher intake of unhealthy foods such as instant noodles, soft drink, and fast food compared to the normal group. Jeju-do’s middle and high school students had similar characteristics to the obese population in other regions. Jeju-do’s students have unique factors associated with obesity compared to students in other regions. The study highlights the correlation between obesity and unhealthy mental states among study subjects in South Korea. Future adolescent health policies should address this issue in greater depth.