South Korea is facing a child obesity epidemic as growing numbers of elementary and secondary school children reject fruit and vegetables in favour of fast food, a government survey has found.
In its study of 194,817 middle- and high-school children across the country, the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology found that over 13 per cent of those examined were overweight, up from 11 per cent in 2008, reports The Korea Times.
Just 18 per cent of children aged 8-13 said they ate fruit and vegetables every day, but up to 60 per cent of those surveyed admitted to regularly consuming fast food.
Only 2.1 per cent of elementary school pupils, 23.9 per cent of middle-school students and 17.4 per cent of high school children said they engaged in intense physical activities more than three times a week.
Unveiling the findings, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said parents and schools should do more to improve the physical condition of Korea's future generation.
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