A survey found that the amount of physical activity, such as aerobic and strength training, among South Korean youth is still lower than that of youths in other countries.
On the 27th, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency analyzed the physical activity trends of adolescents (from middle school first grade to high school third grade) over the past decade from 2015 to 2024. The rate of physical activity among domestic adolescents increased from 14.2% in 2015 to 17.3% in 2024. The physical activity rate refers to the percentage of those engaging in aerobic exercise that brings breathlessness for at least 60 minutes on five or more days a week.
By gender, the rate of physical activity among male adolescents increased from 20.5% in 2014 to 25.1% in 2024, nearly three times higher than that of female adolescents (7.4% to 8.9%).
Physical activity among adolescents is essential for improving fitness and mental health, as well as preventing and managing chronic diseases, including obesity. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health and Welfare recommend that adolescents engage in moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity for "more than 60 minutes per day" and high-intensity aerobic activity and strength training at least "three days a week."
Although the rate of physical activity among domestic adolescents has shown an upward trend over the past decade, it remains low compared to other countries. When compared to survey results conducted in the United States every two years, the physical activity rate among South Korean adolescents in 2023 (13.4%) is 32.9 percentage points lower than that of U.S. adolescents (46.3%).
Looking at the rate of strength training exercise at least three days a week, 63.8% of male high school students in the United States participated, while 36.1% of male students in South Korea did. For female students, participation was 37.2% in the U.S. and only 8% in South Korea. According to a WHO survey conducted in 2016, the rate of physical activity among South Korean adolescents was the lowest among 146 countries.
Administrator Ji Young-mi of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency noted, "Although the rate of physical activity among adolescents has increased over the past decade, it still needs improvement," and emphasized the need for interest and efforts from schools, families, and communities to increase adolescents' physical activity. She added, "Considering the importance of school sports activities, we plan to change the survey of physical education and sports-related items from a three-year cycle to an annual survey and will actively cooperate with relevant departments to strengthen youth health policies."