Health Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study of South Korean Residents in a Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Background: It is well known fact that health behaviors affect one's health status. As the prevalence of the chronic disease is increasing in Korea, the need of management for chronic disease is required more. The health behavior is associated with chronic disease. As the health behaviors of Metropolitan residents are still not known much yet in Korea, so this study is accomplished to identify health behaviors of metropolitan residents and be provided for research purpose and data for health administration. Methods: This study was carried out in urban areas of Gwangju city by the questionnaire used for the health examination was examined by the National Health Insurance Management Corporation from August to September, 2012. Inquired health behaviors by questionnaires were smoking, drinking status, weight, height, diet habit. Results: The smoking rate of men over 20 years old was 19.4% and the rate of women was 0.5%. The drinking rate of men over 20 years old was 51.7% and the drinking rate of women over 20 years old was 18.3%. 40.0% of men and 17.3% of women over 20 years of age were obese people with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more. Most men and women have a habit of eating meat and veggies balanced. 73.9% of men and 64.9% of women who exercise regularly more than once a week were generally high, but 39.1% of women 20 ~ 29 years old and 48.5% of women 30 ~ 39 years old were somewhat lower. Conclusion: Health state had significant correlations with health behaviors in Metropolitan residents, so it is helpful to public health promotion to let them know this fact. To improve the health status of the residents of urban area, the health behavior of age group is identified. And then, appropriate efforts like health education should be done.