The higher a person’s income level is, the healthier they are, data showed Thursday, According to statistics released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 22 percent of the top income group worked out for at least 10 minutes once a week while 14.4 percent of the lowest income class spent time on exercise.
The ministry divided the income level into four categories based on monthly wages of 5,500 citizens in 2012.
Waist sizes also tended to grow among lower income groups. The obesity rate of the poorest 25th percentile reached 25.5 percent, 5.4 percent higher than the richest quartile.
Obesity was measured as having a girth over 90 centimeters and 85 centimeters for men and women, respectively.
The correlation between obesity and income level was more noticeable in women. While 16.7 percent of women in the highest income group were obese, 26.5 percent of those in the bottom group had obesity, down 9.8 percent.
