South Korea raises alarm over overweight and obesity rates.

Overweight and obesity are alarming problems in South Korea, increasingly becoming a leading cause of death and serious diseases.

Hàn Quốc báo động tình trạng thừa cân, béo phì

Being overweight or obese affects health. (Source: Pixabay)

On December 19, the Korean Statistics Agency (KOSTAT) released a report showing that 112,000 people died in 2022 due to diseases related to overweight and obesity. This number increased by 7.5% compared to 2021. These individuals were also diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, cancer, and hormone production disorders such as diabetes.

KOSTAT notes that obesity ranks fifth among factors affecting health and can develop into major diseases. High blood pressure tops the list, followed by smoking, high blood sugar, and low birth weight.

In addition to the aforementioned health issues, the report also analyzes changing social trends in various areas, including population, households, living conditions, marriage, and climate change.

The problem of late marriage and increasing singlehood is on the rise. The proportion of unmarried individuals in their 40s increased 6.7 times for men and 5.7 times for women in 2020 compared to 20 years earlier.

The report shows that 23.6% of men and 11.9% of women aged 40 were unmarried in 2020, compared to only 3.5% and 2.1% respectively in 2000.

Furthermore, the report indicates that only a small percentage of unmarried individuals aged 19-34 consider marriage a necessity. The majority of those in this age group have a positive attitude towards non-traditional forms of marriage, such as cohabitation or having children out of wedlock.

Amidst South Korea's struggle with a rapidly aging population, the report indicates that those aged 65 and over will account for 43.1% of households nationwide by 2040, up from 24.1% in 2022.

Among other observed trends are changes in the agricultural sector due to climate change. Due to more unfavorable weather conditions, the harvested area of major crops such as rice, beans, and potatoes decreased by as much as 73% between 1975 and 2024.

Regarding other social trends, the report also indicated that drug-related crime is on the rise and South Korea is no longer a "drug-free" country. The number of people arrested for illegal drug use in South Korea increased 2.8 times to 27,611 from 2013 to 2023.

Of these, the largest group was teenagers or those in their 20s, accounting for 35.6% in 2023. The total number of people arrested for illegal drug trafficking in 2023 was 12,226, a 3.6-fold increase compared to 10 years earlier.

The misuse of prescription drugs also increased during the same period. A total of 169 individuals died after overdosing on sleeping pills, painkillers, and other medications readily available as prescription drugs. This represents an increase of approximately 3.8 times compared to the 44 cases recorded in 2012.