A recent survey has revealed that nearly two out of every ten children aged 3 to 5 in Seoul are classified as overweight or obese.

The findings indicate that overweight children tend to show lower levels of balance, agility, and explosive power, highlighting the need for weight management and sufficient physical activity to prevent childhood obesity.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government, in collaboration with the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity, announced the results of the "Seoul-style Mobile Physical Fitness Assessment for Toddlers," which surveyed 6,850 children at daycare centers across the city.

The assessment included basic physical measurements such as height and weight, as well as tests for V-sit, sit-and-reach, single-leg standing, 5-meter shuttle runs, and standing long jumps.

The results showed that the height and weight of children in Seoul followed a normal growth and development trajectory as they aged.

Based on the growth charts for children and adolescents provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, their height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) all fell within the 50th percentile, which is considered the optimal range.

The average height was 99.10 cm for 3-year-olds, 105.57 cm for 4-year-olds, and 112.10 cm for 5-year-olds. The average weight was 15.80 kg for 3-year-olds, 18.03 kg for 4-year-olds, and 20.38 kg for 5-year-olds.

From age 3 to 5, the average height increased by 13.00 cm, and the average weight increased by 4.58 kg.

However, 17.9% of the children were found to be overweight or obese, with a BMI at or above the 85th percentile.

By age, the figures were 19.1% for 3-year-olds, 17.7% for 4-year-olds, and 17.8% for 5-year-olds.

The fitness assessment confirmed a trend where children with higher BMI percentiles showed lower performance in balance, agility, and explosive power.

While the difference in physical fitness based on BMI was not significant at age 3, a trend of declining explosive power began to appear at age 4. By age 5, the tendency for higher BMI to correlate with lower balance, agility, and explosive power became more pronounced.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government also analyzed surveys conducted with 1,058 guardians and 227 childcare teachers.

In the guardian survey, only 25.7% of respondents said their children engaged in more than 3 hours of physical activity per day, while 38.6% reported 1–2 hours, and 29.9% reported 2–3 hours.

The survey of childcare teachers showed that children at daycare centers with physical activity specialists or those offering diverse play and exercise programs had more opportunities to experience new movements and participate in activities.

The city plans to continuously monitor the obesity and physical fitness levels of young children and promote obesity prevention programs that involve families, daycare centers, and local communities.

Cho Young-chang, Director-General of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Citizen Health Bureau, stated, "Preventing obesity in early childhood is not just about weight management; it is about supporting proper growth, forming healthy lifestyle habits, and ensuring sufficient physical movement." He added, "We will create an environment where children can enjoy playing and growing up healthy in their daily lives."

(Photo: Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government, Yonhap News)