Background: In Korea, substantial disparities exist in physical environments across regions, exacerbating the polarization between metropolitan and provincial areas and urban and rural regions. Objectives: This study examines the differences in the physical activity and self-rated health of local communities in relation to satisfaction with the physical environment. By identifying and addressing these underlying causes of health disparities, the study provides foundational data to inform policy efforts. Methods: The study utilized data from the 2023 Community Health Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. It included 231,752 individuals aged 19 and older (105,754 men and 125,998 women) selected through a two-stage probability proportional systematic sampling method. One-on-one online interviews were conducted from 16 May to 31 July 2023. The physical environment was assessed based on public satisfaction with safety, natural and living environments, public transportation, and medical services. Study variables included subjective health status and physical activity, with subvariables for physical activity encompassing the duration of vigorous and moderate physical activity, walking, and flexibility exercises. For data analysis, MANOVA and ANOVA were conducted, with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Results: Considerable variations in physical activity were observed based on satisfaction with the local community environment. Regarding self-rated health, significant differences were found in safety levels, living environment, and medical services. Satisfaction with the physical environment positively influenced physical activity and self-rated health. Conclusion: Therefore, it is imperative to reduce disparities in the physical environment between regions and enhance residents’ satisfaction.

Background: We aimed to explore the effect of education levels on self-rated health and physical activity (PA) and to provide basic data for developing interventions based on physical education to improve the quality of life among Koreans. Methods: The 2019 Community Health Survey data were selected through primary and secondary phylogenetic extraction. The survey was conducted among Korean adults aged ≥19 years (n=229,099), in 2019, using an electronic questionnaire. The education levels were classified into eight groups: uneducated, Seodang/Hanhak (traditional Korean school), elementary school, middle school, high school, college (2 or 3 years), university (4 years), and post-graduate or higher. In this study, the effect of participants’ education levels on self-rated health levels and PA was investigated (the PA subdimensions were: the number of days of vigorous PA, moderate-intensity PA, walking, and flexibility exercises). Results: 1) Regarding self-rated health, significant differences according to education level were recorded (P<0.001), with higher education levels leading to higher averages. 2) Regarding PA, significant differences according to education level were revealed, and the number of days of vigorous PA, walking, and flexibility exercise (P<0.001) increased with higher education levels. Moreover, the university (4 years) group reported the highest average. However, the middle school group reported the highest average for the number of days of moderate-intensity PA (P<0.001), and the average number of days decreased as the education level increased after middle school. Conclusion: Education plays an important role in maintaining health, and practicing appropriate PA contributes to one’s quality of life.

Background: The study aimed to provide basic data about the changes in the Korean elementary schools’ Physical Activity Promotion System (PAPS) amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and to present future direction for school and physical education. Methods: Data were collected for 2019–2021 from the PAPS, conducted by the Korea Ministry of Education. Participants were fifth and sixth level students from 1,214 Korean elementary schools, with 124,871, 126,396, and 117,953 participants in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. Five physical fitness variables were evaluated—cardiopulmonary endurance, flexibility, muscle strength, power, and obesity—and graded from 1 (highest physical fitness level) to 5 (lowest physical fitness level). Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni for multiple comparisons for computing confidence intervals. Results: The findings indicated significant changes in the ratios of grades 1, 2, 4, and 5 according to the year (P<0.05). Grades 1 and 5 decreased and increased in 2021 from 2019 and 2020, respectively (P<0.001). Grades 2 and 4 continuously decreased and increased from 2019 to 2020 (P=0.001, P<0.001, respectively) and further in 2021 (P<0.001), respectively. Moreover, significant changes were identified in the grade ratio by year according to sex (P<0.05). Male students reported higher grade 1 ratios than female students in 2019 (P=0.018) and 2021 (P<0.001). However, for all 3 years, female students reported higher grade 2 ratio (P<0.001), while male students reported higher grade 4 and 5 ratios (P<0.001). Lastly, male students reported higher grade 3 ratios than female students in 2019 (P=0.003), but this finding was reversed in 2021 (P=0.004). Conclusion: The pandemic decreased students’ physical activity and weakened their health, and this reduced fitness was greater pronounced in male students. In the future, physical educators should plan and present solutions to tackle reduced physical activity post the pandemic.

In Korea, substantial disparities exist in physical environments across regions, exacerbating the polarization between metropolitan and provincial areas, and urban and rural regions. This study examines the differences in physical activity and self-rated health of local communities in relation to satisfaction with the physical environment. By identifying and addressing these underlying causes of health disparities, the study provides foundational data to inform policy efforts. The study utilized data from the 2023 Community Health Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. It included 231,752 individuals aged 19 and older (105,754 men and 125,998 women) selected through a two-stage probability proportional systematic sampling method. One-on-one online interviews were conducted from May 16 to July 31, 2023. Physical environment was assessed based on public satisfaction with safety, natural and living environments, public transportation, and medical services. Study variables included subjective health status and physical activity, with sub-variables for physical activity encompassing the duration of vigorous and moderate physical activity, walking, and flexibility exercises. For data analysis, MANOVA and ANOVA were conducted, with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Considerable variations in physical activity were observed based on satisfaction with the local community environment. Regarding self-rated health, significant differences were found in safety levels, living environment, and medical services. Satisfaction with the physical environment positively influenced physical activity and self-rated health. Therefore, it is imperative to reduce disparities in the physical environment between regions and enhance residents' satisfaction.

Background: We aimed to verify the structural relationship between sports participation, ego-resilience, and healthpromoting behavior of Korean adolescents in a pandemic situation. Methods: In Nov 2020, an online survey was conducted with 751 adolescents in Korea. The data obtained through the survey were analyzed in several ways, including frequency, reliability, confirmatory factor, descriptive statistical, and path analyses. Results: Sports participation had a positive effect on ego-resilience and health-promoting behavior, while egoresilience has a positive effect on health-promoting behavior. Overall, sports participation directly affects healthpromoting behavior and that an indirect effect occurs through ego-resilience. Conclusion: Educational institutions such as schools and the Korea Offices of Education should devise various measures so that adolescents growing up in a global pandemic situation can strengthen their health-promoting behavior by securing ego-resilience through participation in various sports.

This study aimed to emphasize the importance of physical education in maintaining sufficient physical activity by examining the average BMI of fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students in Korea over multiple years. This study investigated changes in the average BMI of fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students in Korea. It provided foundational data to suggest the role of physical education in student health and set future directions. The 2019–2021 Physical Activity Promotion System (PAPS) of the Korean Ministry of Education was used. Data corresponding to fifth- and sixth-grade students (124,693 from 2019, 126,226 from 2020, and 117,809 from 2021) in 1208 elementary schools in Korea were collected. Repeated measures ANOVA was conducted for the data analysis. The study findings are as follows: First, the average BMI of fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students in Korea increased significantly in 2021 compared with 2019 and 2020. Second, changes in the yearly average BMI showed a significant difference depending on gender and grade. Obesity among fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students in Korea increased steadily during 2019–2021, which may be due to a decrease in students’ physical activity. Male students showed a steeper increase regardless of grade. During the study period, limited physical activity at school increased obesity rates. Physical education must play a role in students’ health in preparation for future changes.