A survey of body shape perception and weight control of adolescent girls in three areas of Korea

Health behaviors and mental health among adolescents: A comparison based on BMI using the 2021 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Background

Obesity and underweight can have adverse effects on adolescents. However, previous obesity management program conducted in Korea for adolescents with obesity showed low effectiveness, and there are few studies on underweight Korean adolescents.

Objective

This study aims to analyze differences in the health behaviors and mental health of adolescents based on their body mass index (BMI).

Methods

Data from the 2021 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey were examined. The health behaviors and mental health of 53,445 adolescents were analyzed according to BMI using SAS version 9.4 with the Rao-Scott χ2 test and logistic regression analysis.

Results

Regarding the difference in health behaviors according to BMI, a higher proportion of participants who are drinking alcohol and are exposed to secondhand smoke were in the underweight group than in the obesity group. The rate of obesity among those engaged in physical activity was higher than that among those involved in non-physical activity. In addition, the obesity group used smartphones more than the underweight group, while the quality of sleep was better among the underweight group than the obesity group.

Conclusion

While the health behaviors and mental health of adolescents according to BMI are similar to those of previous studies, there are also distinct aspects. Consequently, further exploration of health behaviors and mental health based on BMI is crucial for developing and implementing targeted nursing intervention programs for adolescents with different weights.

Comparison of eating habits and inappropriate weight control efforts of secondary school students enrolled in a weight control program

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Numerous school-based weight control programs have been initiated for weight loss among adolescents. However, the relationship between these programs and inappropriate weight control efforts, dietary habits and behavior of students, have not been investigated sufficiently. This study was undertaken to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) of adolescents, and their health status and inappropriate weight-control efforts. We further examined the relationship between attendance to school-based weight-control programs and attempting inappropriate weight-control efforts, dietary habits, and behavior.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

A survey of 1,742 students was conducted in Korea. Logistic regression was used to assess differences in the health status (grouped by BMI and improper weight control) and dietary habits, based on attendance to the weight-control programs.

RESULTS

Obese students were significantly more dissatisfied with physical, mental and spiritual health. Students who attended weight-control programs were likely to be underweight (P < 0.001), whereas those who did not attend weight-control programs were likely to attempt weight control improperly (P < 0.001). Students who participated in the program also had relatively healthy dietary habits (P < 0.001-0.027), and students who did not attend had comparatively unhealthy dietary habits (P < 0.001-0.008). Students who attended weight-control programs were likely to be underweight (P < 0.001) with relatively healthy dietary habits (P < 0.001-0.027), whereas students who did not attend the programs were likely to attempt weight control improperly (P < 0.001) and had comparatively unhealthy dietary habits (P < 0.001-0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

Attending school-based weight-control programs was significantly associated with not attempting inappropriate weight-control efforts, as well as following healthy dietary habits. Our data indicates that offering school-based weight-control programs is valuable to student health, and is anticipated to reducing the public health burden.

Mediating Effect of Body Image Distortion on Weight Loss Efforts in Normal-Weight and Underweight Korean Adolescent Girls

BACKGROUND

We explored the relationship between body mass index-for-age percentile, body image distortion, and unnecessary weight loss efforts in Korean adolescent girls who are underweight and normal weight and examined the mediating effect of body image distortion on weight loss efforts.

METHODS

This study used data from the 2013 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey conducted by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study sample comprised 29,633 Korean adolescent girls who are normal weight and underweight. Chi-square tests and correlations were used to assess bivariate relationships between the variables. To assess the mediating effect of body image distortion on the relationship between body mass index-for-age percentile and weight loss efforts, a 3-step regression analysis was used.

RESULTS

There was a significant correlation between body mass index-for-age percentiles and body image distortion, and both significantly correlated with weight loss efforts. In addition, a distorted perception of being overweight or obese was a significant mediating variable.

CONCLUSIONS

School-based health education and intervention programs are needed to promote the formation of a positive body image, not only for obese adolescents, but also for normal-weight and underweight adolescent girls.

A survey of overweight, body shape perception and eating attitude of Korean female university students

[Purpose]

We obtained basic data on a proper weight loss training program by considering the relationship between body mass index (BMI), the perception of appearance, and eating attitudes of Korean female university students.

[Methods]

The survey and anthropometry for the perception of appearance and eating attitudes were conducted targeting 657 female university students located in Seoul, Busan, Ulsan, Daejeon, Chungcheongnam-do, and Gangwon-do South Korea who were not specializing in physical education.

[Results]

The underweight group accounted for 21.16% of the population, the normal weight group comprised 69.71%, the overweight group was 6.09%, and the obese group accounted for 3.04%. The satisfaction rate of appearance was 56.16%, the dissatisfaction rate was 43.84%, and normal-weight students who were dissatisfied with their own appearance comprised 48.5%. The More obese students were more dissatisfied with their appearance. As a result of investigating eating attitudes, 37.75% of all subjects had a risk for an eating disorder, and 38.6% were normal weight but showed a risk for an eating disorder. More obese (BMI) subjects were at higher risk for an eating disorder.

[Conclusion]

The BMIs of the Korean female university students were lower than those of European and American Caucasian women students, but the dissatisfaction of Korean female university students with their appearances was greater than that of European and American students, indicating that more Korean female university students were suffering from an eating disorder. It is predicted that the incidence of eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, will rise in Korean women if there is no accurate understanding and measure to identify the high risk group for an eating disorder.