Poster The Impact of Self-control on Obesity in Adolescence Mediated by Life time in South Korea

Abstract

In modern society, obesity is recognized as a non-communicable disease accompanying a variety of complications, whichrequires special attention. The prevalence of obesity is increasing among youth in which physical and mental growth occurrapidly. Obesity in adolescence, a period of increased interest in appearance, can have a negative influence not only on physicalhealth problems but also on various negative developmental outcomes. Previous studies have shown that obesity in adolescencehas a negative effect on self-efficacy, relationships with friends and family, and eventually worsen adolescents' academicachievement and psychosocial adjustment (Kim & Lee, 2015; Chung & Lee, 2011; Choi, Min & Kim, 2009). Obesity-inducedfactors were gender, grade, parental education, academic performance, sleep satisfaction, self-perceived health and stress, andInternet use time (Jung, Yi & Jung, 2016), and Lim(2016) has reported that the risk of obesity increases with the amount ofsitting time. This proved the relationship between adolescent life time and obesity. Self-control, on the other hand, is the abilityto control or resist temptations or impulses for achieving long-term goals. Adolescents with high self-control were also found tohave a high ability to manage time. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the effect of self-control on adolescents'obesity mediated by life time. The 6th data of 4th grade elementary school students from Korean Children & Youth Panel Surveyadministered by National Youth Policy Institute(NYPI) were used. Results showed that self-control of adolescents affects lifetime (sleeping time, study sitting time, physical activity time, and media time) and life time affects their BMI(body mass index).Depending on the type of life time, the effect on obesity was different. BMI increased with less sleeping time and physicalactivity time, more study sitting time, and with media time such as watching TV or using computer. Therefore, it is important toeducate youth to spend time appropriately for physical health such as more sleeping and physical activity; and less study sittingand media using; and to improve self-control in order to prevent obesity in adolescence. Based on the results of this study, thepractice and policy implications for youth welfare were discussed.

Biography:Ick-Joong Chung, Ph.D., is Professor in the Department of Social Welfare at Ewha Womans University in Korea. His mainresearch focus has been in poverty and child development with special emphasis on the impact of disadvantaged socialenvironments and out-of-home care.Dr. Nho earned his Ph.D. in Social Work from Columbia University, New York, USA and has taught social work practice coursesat Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.Jisun Kim is a doctoral student in the Department of Social Welfare at Ewha Womans University in Korea. She is interested inthe development of poverty or out-of-home care children.Ms. Son is a doctoral student at Graduate School at Ewha Womans University. Her major interests include children in povertyand community welfare with children.