South Korean children and teenagers suffering from extreme obesity are on a sharp rise compared to decades ago, a report showed Tuesday.

According to a study released by the Korea University Anam Hospital, the prevalence of extreme obesity among the age group of 2-19 has more than quadrupled to 4.7 percent in 2014 from 0.7 percent in 1998.


The research was based on nationwide health and nutrition surveys conducted on 19,593 Koreans aged 2 to 19 from 1998-2014.

Extreme or morbid obesity refers to those who have a body mass index of 30 or higher. A normal BMI ranges from 19-25.

“The morbid obesity of the young generation was especially prevalent among teenage boys,” said professor Lee Ki-hyung who led the research, adding that they could have an up to 66 times higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome -- raising the risks of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other adult diseases -- compared to other teenagers.

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)