Half of Those in their Fifties Are Obese

A recent research study found that one out of every two people in their fifties is obese. Moreover, if those who are overweight are included, then only two out of 10 fall within the normal weight standard.

On February 13, the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Energy (MOCIE) revealed that obesity is prevalent among those who are in their fifties based upon the result of the physical examination of 8,500 people it made in late 2003 when it examined 359 factors including height, weight, and waist measurement.

According to KATS, the average height and weight of men in their fifties is 165.2 centimeters and 67.7 kilograms respectively, and 52.3 percent of them are obese and 23.5 percent are overweight.

The average height and weight of women in their fifties is 153.6 centimeters and 60.1 kilograms respectively, and 53.9 percent of them were classified as obese and 25.5 percent as overweight.

Those who were classified as normal or underweight were 24.2 percent of the men and 20.6 percent of the women.

Compared to the first examination in 1979, the waist measurement of those in their fifties grew more than any other age groups, recording growth of 10.7 centimeters among men and of 10.3 centimeters among women.

The older one was, the higher the ratio of obesity became, showing 24.7 percent for men in their twenties, 41.7 percent for men in their thirties and 48.7 percent for men in their forties.

In the case of women, the percentages are as follows: 8.4 percent of those in twenties, 18.75 percent of those in their thirties and 23.9 percent of those in their forties were classified as obesity showing that women care more about weight control than men.

When classified by occupation, male office workers were fatter than male production workers, but in the case of women, office workers were thinner.

The physical examination was carried out to build up a database which can be used in design for products such as clothes, shoes, and furniture.

Ki-Jeong Ko koh@donga.com