Korean Children Are Getting More Obese

Obesity among children and teenagers has more than doubled over the last decade.

According to a survey by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency out last week, the obesity rate in middle and high schools jumped from 5.6 percent in 2011 to 13.5 percent in 2021, up 2.4 times.

Boys are fatter than girls, with the obesity rate soaring from 6.8 percent to 17.5 percent for boys and from 4.2 percent to 9.1 percent for girls.

That means they are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases when they grow up. 

Among adults, the obesity rate soared from 35.1 percent to 46.3 percent over the period, so almost half of all Korean adults are now overweight.

But among women the obesity rate stands at only about 27 percent, showing no big change in the past 10 years, while a substantial majority of men are too heavy.