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What is Making Korean Children Fat?
Health classes are moving a few Korean students in a healthier direction this summer. For an hour a week, students participate (voluntarily) in a workout or dance session. According to a recent article in the JoongAng Daily, students of all levels are participating in such a program to fight childhood obesity. Even though an hour a week hardly suffices as exercise, it's progress.
In 2007, the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development reported that one out of every 10 Korean students was obese. Not only did this figure increase with age, boys also showed higher rates of obesity than girls.
Currently, obese students are increasing at a 1 percent rate annually.
Although Korean food is relatively healthy, a number of Korean students remain overweight. With such a strong emphasis on studying, many students are shuttled to after-school classes. Rarely is there time for dinner until late at night. To curb hunger pangs, students consume snacks like chips, candy and soda throughout the afternoon and evening. Along with unhealthy eating habits, physical education remains a less-valued part of Korean education.
"Older students tend to eat more high-calorie fast foods such as hamburgers and coke. Also they don't have much time to exercise due to college admission preparations,'' a ministry official said.
According to the article, 80 to 85 percent of obese youths continue to be obese as adults and can develop various diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular problems and respiratory disorders.
