P859 - ADOLESCENT OBESITY BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

P859

ADOLESCENT OBESITY BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

H. L. Lee^1,*, W. Jeong²

¹Department of Neuology, Korea University College of Medicine, ²Department of Public Health Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, Republic Of

Rationale: Obesity is a critical public health issue, with adolescent obesity rising significantly over the past two decades in Korea. While adolescent obesity increased during the pandemic, changes in rates post-pandemic remain uncertain. We investigated the changes in adolescent obesity rates following the COVID-19 pandemic and explored the assoication with the rise in obesity and the COVID-19 pandemic era.

Methods: Data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS) were used, including responses from 228,221 adolescents between 2019 and 2024. BMI was calculated from self-reported height and weight, with a BMI of 25.0 or higher classified as obesity. The study period was divided into three phases: before COVID-19 (bCOVID, 2018-2019), during COVID-19 (dCOVID, 2020-2022), and after COVID-19 (aCOVID, 2023-2024). Multivariable logistic regression was applied to assess obesity risk, adjusting for potential confounders, with statistical significance set at p<0.05.

Results: A total of 70,292 adolescents were included in the bCOVID group, 90,233 in the dCOVID group, and 67,696 in the aCOVID group. The obesity rate was highest during the dCOVID period (16.0%) compared to the bCOVID (14.4%) and aCOVID (15.4%) periods. After adjusting for confounding factors, the odds of obesity were significantly higher in both the dCOVID (adjusted OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.15–1.21) and aCOVID (adjusted OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.07–1.14) periods compared to the bCOVID period.

Conclusion: Adolescent obesity rates were significantly higher during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, with the largest increase observed during the pandemic. These findings highlight the lasting impact of the pandemic on adolescent obesity, emphasizing the need for targeted public health strategies. Further research is needed to identify contributing factors and develop effective interventions.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared