Men develop obesity earlier than women

Korean men and women are prone to develop obesity at different ages, according to research organized by the state-run Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While Korean women in their 60s are most prone to develop the condition, Korean men become obese most commonly during their 30s, according to the latest report released by the institute.

The report was written after researching some 10,000 Koreans nationwide last year.

According to the study, more than 47 percent of Korean men in their 30s suffered from obesity last year, whereas only 29.3 percent of those in their 20s and 41.5 percent of men in their 40s were obese. 

Meanwhile, 42.7 percent of Korean women in their 60s were obese, while only 14.4 percent of those in their 20s and 17.9 percent of those in their 30s were suffering from obesity. Women in their 60s and 70s were also more prone to the condition than Korean men in the same age group. Some 40 percent of women were obese, while only 27.8 percent of their male counterparts suffered from obesity.

While more than 80 percent of obese women in their 20s said they “have tried to lose weight in the past year,” only 59.5 percent of overweight women in their 60s and 36 percent of those in their 70s said the same.

Korean obese men in all age groups, on the other hand, had a weight loss attempt rate ranging from 45.5 percent to 61.6 percent. Those in their 70s had the least interest in losing weight, while those in their 40s were most willing to beat obesity.

Working hours, childbirth, raising children and different perceptions of body weight are factors contributing to obesity, according to a Health Ministry official.

Women and men combined, Koreans in their 50s suffered from obesity the most, while those in their 20s had the fewest people with the condition.

More than 37 percent of Koreans in their 50s were obese, compared to 22.4 percent of those in their 20s.

By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)