Sunday, February 26, 2012

Obesity Rising in South Korea

                           Song Hye-kyo, South Korean actress and model
A report in The Korea Herald titled "Number of obese pupils continues to rise: report" from February 26, 2012, stated that "14 out of 100 children in elementary, middle, and high school are obese."  The report was the result of a study done in 2011, where "181,000 students from 743 schools throughout the country" were examined.  It was determined "that diet, activity level, and amount of sleep had a major affect on students' health."  While the number of overweight and obese students have risen in South Korea over the last several years, the study also found a sizable percentage of students who are underweight.  The rate of obesity in that nation has risen at the same time that children are consuming larger quantities of fast food, not exercising, and sleeping less than six hours a night.

Another article, one from The Guardian on September 6, 2006, titled "Obesity in Asia mirrors western increase," compared the rising obesity rates in Asian nations with those in Western ones, like Great Britain, the United States, and Australia.  It stated that the cause of the issue is Asia's rapid modernization over the last couple decades.  For centuries, people in Asian countries lived rural, agricultural lives, consuming foods like fish and rice.  However, as these nations have modernized, more people are moving to urban centers and consuming high-fat and high-calorie foods, like citizens of Western nations.

I found this news story both interesting and surprising.  Whenever most people, including myself, picture someone of Asian descent, they imagine a small, very slender person.  A prime example is Song Hye-kyo, a South Korean actress and model.  She follows the small and slender stereotype.  The story from The Korea Herald, though, reveals that this reality is quickly decreasing as more and more Asian people, including children, are becoming overweight and obese.  As Asian nations, like South Korea, become more Westernized, they begin to experience problems similar to those in the United States, Great Britain, etc.  The fact that people in these countries have the access to proper nutrition is wonderful, but like Americans, they are overindulging themselves.


The BBC News reported on January 2, 2008, that "The World Health Organization predicts there will be 2.3 billion overweight adults in the world by 2015 and more than 700 million of them will be obese."  Obesity, a modern issue facing most Western nations, has a unique impact upon Asian ones.  "Asians On A Different Obesity Scale," a February 11, 2009, article from CBS News explains that Asian people who are small and slender can still face the problem of obesity.  While a body mass index (BMI) of 25 is overweight and 30 is obese, Asians may require an even lower number to be healthy.  This is due to the fact that Asians have more fat content that other racial groups, like Caucasians.  With obesity rates rising throughout the world, Asian nations may be impacted more due to their citizens already natural thin frames.

As with programs here in America, I hope South Korea can fight this epidemic and lead its citizens, especially its youth, down the right path.  The world is becoming smaller with every passing day, as modern technologies, like Skype, connect countries all over the planet.  We need to be concerned about the health of our people here in America and across the ocean in South Korea.

Jenny

Article - 
Number of obese pupils continues to rise: report. (2012, February 26). The Korea Herald. Retrieved February 26, 2012, from http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20120226000288
Map - http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/kr.htm

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