Modifying effects of education on the association between lifestyle behaviors and the risk of obesity: evidence from South Korea

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Woojin Chung¹  Seung-ji Lim²  Sunmi Lee²  Jaeyeun Kim³ 

[1] Department of Health Policy, Graduate School of Public Health, Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, 03722, Seoul, Republic of Korea;Health Insurance Policy Research Institute, National Health Insurance Service, 32 Geongang-ro, 26464, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea;Health Insurance Policy Research Institute, National Health Insurance Service, 32 Geongang-ro, 26464, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea;Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, 03722, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea;

关键词: Obesity;    Education;    Lifestyle behavior;    Interaction;    Sex;    South Korea;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-016-3776-4

 received in 2016-08-19, accepted in 2016-10-15,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundNo previous study has explored the interactions between education and lifestyle in relation to obesity. This study hypothesized that education may be obesogenic through its interplay with lifestyle behaviors.MethodsData for a nationally representative sample (6937 men and 9333 women) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2012) were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed for three education levels and six lifestyle behaviors, each of which comprised two groups.ResultsInteractions between education and lifestyle behaviors in relation to obesity were observed for all lifestyle behaviors in women (p for interaction <0.001) and for three lifestyle behaviors in men. Education appeared obesogenic for three groups of lifestyle behaviors in men (p for trend <0.05), but was protective against obesity for 11 groups in women. Each one-unit increase in education level in men increased the odds of obesity by 1.29-fold among under-reported energy intake groups (95 % confidence interval: 1.16, 1.44).ConclusionsEducation may be a risk factor for obesity through its interplay with lifestyle behaviors. Further research is required to examine these findings in different socio-cultural settings.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2016