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3 "Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey"
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Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey: achievements in the last 20 years and future directions
Yangha Kim, Yunjung Choi, Suyeon Park, Ji-Su Park, Sun-Ja Kim, Yoonjung Kim, Sungha Yun, Sunhye Choi, Soyeon Kim, Kyungwon Oh
Epidemiol Health. 2026;48:e2026025.   Published online June 8, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2026025
  • 3,859 View
  • 82 Download
AbstractAbstract AbstractSummary PDF
Abstract
The Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (KYRBS) has been conducted annually by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) since 2005 to monitor trends in health behaviors among Korean adolescents, with the 20th survey completed in 2024. Each year, approximately 60,000 middle and high school students participate in an anonymous, self-administered, web-based survey comprising approximately 110 health behavior items. Over the past 20 years, school-level and student-level participation rates averaged 99.8% and 94.9%, respectively, with a cumulative total of 1,304,561 participants. The prevalence of current cigarette smoking decreased from 11.8% (male, 14.3%; female, 8.9%) in 2005 to 3.6% (male, 4.8%; female, 2.4%) in 2024, and the prevalence of current drinking decreased from 27.0% (male, 27.0%; female, 26.9%) to 9.7% (male, 11.8%; female, 7.5%). In contrast, the prevalence of skipping breakfast increased from 27.1% (male, 26.4%; female, 28.0%) to 42.4% (male, 40.2%; female, 44.7%), whereas the prevalence of depressive symptoms showed little overall change (29.9% [male, 25.6%; female, 34.7%] in 2005 and 27.7% [male, 23.1%; female, 32.5%] in 2024). Survey data are released within the same year of collection and have been used as key evidence for the development and evaluation of adolescent health policies, including the Master Plans for Student Health Promotion and the National Health Plan in Korea. The KYRBS will continue to develop new survey items reflecting emerging health issues, expand the target population to include children, and regularly produce regional-level adolescent health statistics, thereby maintaining its role as a key national health surveillance system.
Summary
Korean summary
• 질병관리청은 2005년 우리나라 청소년의 건강행태 현황 및 변화를 파악하기 위해 청소년건강행태조사를 도입하였다 • 지난 20년간 시의성 있는 조사항목 도입 및 결과 공표, 조사방법 개선, 원시자료 공개 등을 통해 청소년 건강정책 및 사업에 필요한 근거를 생산하고 관련 분야 연구에 활용되어 왔다. • 향후에도 조사대상 확대, 지역 단위 청소년 건강통계 생산, 자료 활용도 제고 등 지속적으로 조사체계 확장을 추진할 예정이다.
Key Message
• The Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (KYRBS) was launched in 2005 to monitor health behaviors and emerging health issues among Korean adolescents. • Over the past 20 years, the KYRBS has become an essential source of evidence for adolescent health policies, programs, and research by continuously updating survey content, improving survey methods, and providing timely data and public access to the dataset. • Future efforts will focus on expanding the target population, strengthening local-level statistics, and improving data utilization to further enhance the national adolescent health surveillance system.
Original Articles
Personal, community, and societal factors associated with mukbang viewing among adolescents: findings from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Cynthia Yursun Yoon, Seungha Shin, Haemi Jun, Hyeeun Park, Minseo Kim
Epidemiol Health. 2025;47:e2025055.   Published online September 30, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2025055
  • 7,164 View
  • 156 Download
AbstractAbstract AbstractSummary PDFSupplementary Material
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
<i>Mukbang</i> refers to livestreamed videos in which hosts consume large amounts of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods while interacting with viewers. <i>Mukbang</i> is widely viewed by Korean adolescents and has been associated with adverse health outcomes. To inform efforts to prevent excessive engagement with <i>mukbang</i> content among Korean adolescents, this study examined personal, community, and societal factors associated with excessive <i>mukbang</i> viewing (≥7 times/wk) and explored gender differences in these associations.
METHODS
Data were drawn from the 2022 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n=36,990; mean age, 15.1±1.7 years; 48.6% girls; 53.2% attending middle school). Self-reported measures included personal (e.g., perceived health, weight, stress, depression, anxiety), community (e.g., living arrangement), and societal factors (e.g., socioeconomic status) and <i>mukbang</i> viewing frequency. Logistic and modified Poisson regression models were used to examine associations with excessive <i>mukbang</i> viewing and to evaluate differences by gender.
RESULTS
Intrapersonal factors—namely perceived health, weight, stress, depression, and anxiety—were associated with excessive <i>mukbang</i> viewing (adjusted prevalence ratios, 1.18 to 1.44), with more pronounced relationships among girls. A community-level factor—living arrangement—displayed a significant association in boys but not in girls. Boys living on campus had 1.42 times the prevalence of excessive <i>mukbang</i> viewing than boys residing with family members (95% confidence interval, 1.08 to 1.88) after adjustment. Further mutual adjustment attenuated estimates toward the null. Societal factors were not significantly associated with excessive <i>mukbang</i> viewing among adolescents.
CONCLUSIONS
Personal and community factors were associated with excessive <i>mukbang</i> viewing. Future research should investigate the mechanisms underlying these associations.
Summary
Korean summary
- 건강 인식 저하, 스트레스, 우울, 불안 등 개인적인 요인은 과도한 먹방 시청과 관련이 있었으며, 특히 여학생에게서 두드러져, 정서적 어려움이 먹방을 정서 조절이나 사회적 연결의 수단으로 활용할 가능성을 시사한다 - 기숙사에 거주하는 남학생이 가족과 거주하는 남학생보다 과도하게 먹방을 시청할 가능성이 높았으며, 이는 또래 영향과 지역사회의 환경이 먹방 시청에 중요한 역할을 함을 보여준다 - 사회경제적 수준은 과도한 먹방 시청과 유의한 관련은 없었으며, 이는 모든 청소년을 대상으로 정서적 건강과 건강한 미디어 사용을 촉진하는 보편적 예방 전략이 필요함을 시사한다
Key Message
- Personal factors such as poor perceived health, stress, depression, and anxiety were strongly related to excessive mukbang viewing, particularly among girls, suggesting that emotional distress may drive girls to engage with mukbang as a form of coping or personal connection - Among boys, those living on campus were more likely to view mukbang excessively than those living with family, indicating that community environment and peer influence may contribute to higher engagement in mukbang - Socioeconomic status was not significantly associated with excessive mukbang viewing, implying that prevention efforts should address emotional well-being and healthy media use across all adolescents, regardless of the background
Trends in the effects of socioeconomic position on physical activity levels and sedentary behavior among Korean adolescents
Hunju Lee, Hyowon Choi, Sang Baek Koh, Hyeon Chang Kim
Epidemiol Health. 2023;45:e2023085.   Published online September 8, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2023085
  • 27,140 View
  • 244 Download
  • 15 Web of Science
  • 17 Crossref
AbstractAbstract AbstractSummary PDFSupplementary Material
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
We examined trends in physical activity and sedentary behavior in Korean adolescents, and their association with socioeconomic position (SEP).
METHODS
We used data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationwide study involving students aged 12-19 conducted between 2009 and 2021. SEP was assessed based on economic status, parental education attainment, and urbanization. Physical activity was categorized into vigorous physical activity, moderate physical activity, and muscle training, and sedentary time was also measured. We conducted the log-binomial regression to calculate prevalence ratios (PRs) and prevalence differences.
RESULTS
Our analysis included a total of 593,896 students. We observed an increasing trend in physical activity, but a worsening trend in sedentary behavior. A positive association was found between an adolescent’s physical activity and SEP indicators, except for urbanization. Adolescents with higher economic status engaged in more vigorous physical activity (high: PR, 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25 to 1.28; middle: PR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.04). Similar associations were observed for father’s education (tertiary or above: PR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.13; upper secondary: PR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.07) and mother’s education (tertiary or above: PR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.20; upper secondary: PR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.08). Adolescents with higher economic status also showed a higher compliance rate with the guideline restricting sedentary time to 2 hours per day (high: PR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.25 to 1.30; middle: PR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Adolescents with higher SEP exhibited more physical activity and less sedentary time than those with lower SEP.
Summary
Korean summary
본 연구는 2009년부터 2021년까지 청소년의 사회경제적 지위가 신체활동과 좌식생활습관에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 청소년의 경제적 상태, 아버지와 어머니의 교육수준이 높을수록 청소년의 신체활동이 증가하고 좌식생활이 감소하였다. 그러나 청소년이 사는 지역의 도시화 정도는 영향을 미치지 않았다.
Key Message
This article analyzes the effects of an adolescent's socio-economic position on their physical activity and sedentary behavior from 2009 to 2021. The higher the adolescent's economic status, father's education, or mother's education, the more they engaged in physical activity and the less time they spent in sedentary behaviors. However, the level of urbanization in the area where the adolescent resided had no effect.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
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