3 Out of 10 Adults in Gyeonggi Province Overweight or Obese

Approximately 3 out of 10 adults in Korea are obese.

▲ Rep. Lee Gi-woo / Yeouido Communications, Photographer Kim Jin-seok

According to analysis of health checkup results from the National Health Insurance Service for health insurance subscribers aged 40 and older, presented by Rep. Lee Gi-woo of the Open Our Party, the obesity rate in 2004 reached 30.7%.

This represents a rapid increase in the obese population compared to the 2003 obesity rate of 22.6%.

Jeju Province had the highest obesity rate at 36.2%. Chungcheongnam Province had the lowest obesity rate at 24%.

Gyeonggi Province's obesity rate was 31.4%, making it the seventh region nationwide with the highest obese population.

"An analysis of socio-environmental factors is needed to explain the sudden increase in obesity," said Rep. Lee Gi-woo. "Recent research has identified obesity as a major cause of cancer development, and since it is a cause of chronic diseases, it is necessary to analyze obesity rate trends by region and reflect these findings in regional health and medical policies," he added.