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COVID-19 Special Article Changes in health behaviors and obesity of Korean adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a special report using the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Chang-Mo Oh1orcid , Yangha Kim2orcid , Jieun Yang2orcid , Sunhye Choi2orcid , Kyungwon Oh2orcid
Epidemiol Health 2023;45e2023018-0
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2023018
Published online: February 14, 2023
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1Department of Preventive Medicine, Kyung Hee University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
2Division of Health and Nutrition Survey and Analysis, Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju, Korea
Corresponding author:  Chang-Mo Oh,
Email: kachas@naver.com
Kyungwon Oh,
Email: kwoh27@korea.kr
Received: 4 November 2022   • Accepted: 7 December 2022
Chang-Mo Oh and Yangha Kim contributed equally to this study as co-first authors.
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Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to investigate changes in health behaviors, including cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, dietary behaviors, and obesity, before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic using the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (KYRBS) database.
METHODS
KYRBS data from 2015 to 2021 were used in this study. Differences in health behaviors between before (pre-pandemic period: 2018-2019) and during (pandemic period: 2020-2021) the pandemic were examined. Differences were compared using linear regression and the chi-square test considering the complex survey design after adjusting for grade level.
RESULTS
The prevalence of current cigarette smoking and current alcohol drinking significantly decreased in both male and female students during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. However, the prevalence of obesity significantly increased in both male and female students during the same period. When examining physical activity and dietary behaviors closely related to obesity, fast food consumption increased and fruit consumption decreased during the pandemic in both male and female students, whereas no significant changes in physical activity were observed in either male or female students.
CONCLUSIONS
The deterioration of adolescent dietary behaviors and an increase in the prevalence of obesity can increase the future disease burden, and concerted efforts at the individual and national levels are needed to reduce obesity and promote healthy dietary behaviors.

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