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Background and Objectives: Many older adults face health challenges, such as physical and functional decline, which increase the risk of hospitalization and dependence. As the global population ages, it is necessary to consider the health of older adults to avoid additional health burdens while improving their quality of life. This study aimed to explore body mass index (BMI) as a factor associated with health in older adults in South Korea. Accordingly, this study investigated the associations between the BMI of older Korean adults and exercise frequency (days per week), fall experience, and the presence of chronic diseases. Materials and Methods: Data from 10,014 older adults who participated in the 2023 Korean National Survey on Older Adults conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare were analyzed. Analyses included statistical frequency, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Underweight older adults had a higher likelihood of falling. Among those who were underweight, the odds ratio (OR) for falls was 2.052 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.349–3.121; p = 0.001). Underweight individuals were also less likely to engage in regular exercise. In contrast, both normal-weight and overweight individuals were more likely to participate in frequent exercise. Among those who were underweight, the ORs for exercising for 3–4 and ≥5 days were 0.612 (95% CI: 0.388–0.966; p = 0.035) and 0.721 (95% CI: 0.527–0.987; p = 0.041), respectively. Among those who were normal weight, the ORs for exercising for 1–2, 3–4, and ≥5 days were 1.286 (95% CI: 1.020–1.621; p = 0.033), 1.226 (95% CI: 1.055–1.424; p = 0.008), and 1.307 (95% CI: 1.167–1.464; p < 0.001), respectively. Among overweight individuals, the ORs for exercising for 1–2, 3–4, and ≥5 days were 1.275 (95% CI: 1.008–1.613; p = 0.043), 1.297 (95% CI: 1.114–1.509; p = 0.001), and 1.172 (95% CI: 1.042–1.318; p = 0.008), respectively. Older adults with obesity had a higher likelihood of having chronic diseases. Among those who were underweight, the ORs for one, two, three, and four diseases were 0.420 (95% CI: 0.268–0.658; p < 0.001), 0.335 (95% CI: 0.220–0.509; p < 0.001), 0.266 (95% CI: 0.167–0.422; p < 0.001), and 0.392 (95% CI: 0.254–0.606; p < 0.001), respectively. Among those with normal weight, the ORs for two, three, and four diseases were 0.686 (95% CI: 0.579–0.813; p < 0.001), 0.606 (95% CI: 0.505–0.727; p < 0.001), and 0.609 (95% CI: 0.505–0.735; p < 0.001), respectively, compared to those with obesity. Among those who were overweight, the ORs for two, three, and four diseases were 0.800 (95% CI: 0.671–0.953; p = 0.013), 0.781 (95% CI: 0.649–0.941; p = 0.009), and 0.686 (95% CI: 0.564–0.835; p < 0.001), respectively, compared to those with obesity. Conclusions: Weight is a key factor in promoting healthy aging in older adults. It is necessary to reduce the risk of falls in underweight individuals and prevent chronic diseases in those who are obese. Regular physical activity supports interventions that address these risks. Older adults should be supported and engage in consistent exercise tailored to their physical abilities and individual characteristics to maintain or improve their health and well-being later in life.

Background and Objectives: As the world enters an aging society, it is necessary to focus on older individuals, especially those with disabilities. The latter must face two issues, their disability and their age; therefore, a lot of attention must be paid to their health. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between participation in leisure sports activities, health behaviors, and life satisfaction among older adults with disabilities. The research question we aimed to address was as follows: Can participation in leisure sports activities positively affect the health behaviors and life satisfaction of older adults with disabilities? Materials and Methods: Data were sourced from the 2023 Survey on the Status of Persons with Disabilities organized by the Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare. The collected data were analyzed using frequency analyses, chi-squared tests, and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that regarding sex, the average odds ratio (OR) was 1.525 (p = 0.001) for males. Regarding efforts to control weight, the average OR was 1.808 (p < 0.001) for “tried to reduce”, 1.893 (p < 0.001) for “tried to maintain”, and 1.245 (p = 0.345) for “tried to increase”. Regarding smoking, the average OR was 0.612 (p = 0.008) for “smoke daily”, 0.947 (p = 0.889) for “smoke occasionally”, and 1.175 (p = 0.255) for “smoked in the past but do not smoke now”. Regarding health status satisfaction, the average OR was 2.014 (p = 0.022) for very satisfied, 1.846 (p = 0.013) for somewhat satisfied, and 1.347 (p = 0.220) for somewhat dissatisfied. Regarding friendship satisfaction, the average OR was 9.177 (p < 0.001) for very satisfied, 5.428 (p < 0.001) for somewhat satisfied, and 3.024 (p = 0.011) for somewhat dissatisfied. Namely, participation in leisure sports activities was significantly related to weight control efforts, smoking cessation, increased health status satisfaction, and increased friendship satisfaction among older adults with disabilities. Conclusions: Access to leisure sports activities should be increased to improve the health of older adults with disabilities. Furthermore, leisure sports activities should be considered in the establishment of policies and services to enhance the health of these individuals.

Background and Objectives: This study identified health-related factors that affect the happiness of Korean adults with disabilities based on the disability level. Materials and Methods: Data of 7581 adults with disabilities aged 20 or older were collected from the 2023 Survey on the Status of Persons with Disabilities. The collected data were analyzed using frequency and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Among individuals with moderate disability, males were less happy than females. Those with elementary school or lower education levels were less happy than those with college or higher education levels. Those who experienced stress, sadness and despair, suicidal thoughts, or discrimination were less happy than those who did not. In contrast, married individuals were happier than unmarried individuals. Those who exercised, went out alone, engaged in paid work, or participated in social activities were happier than those who did not. Among individuals with severe disabilities, males were less happy than females. Those with lower levels of education were less happy than those with higher levels of education. Those who experienced stress, sadness and despair, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, difficulty in communication, or discrimination were less happy than those who did not. Those who perceived their body as very thin were less happy than those who perceived it as very obese. Those who suffered from chronic disease were less happy than those who did not. In contrast, those aged 20–29 were happier than those aged 80 years or older. Married individuals were happier than unmarried ones. Those who exercised, went out alone, engaged in paid work, or participated in social activities were happier than those who did not. Conclusions: Factors affecting the happiness of Korean individuals with disabilities differ depending on the disability degree. Therefore, health policies, plans, and support measures must be established based on the disability degree to support daily physical activities, along with health services facilitating physical activity.

Background and Objectives: This study examined associations between physical activity, body perception, and self-rated health (SRH) in a nationally representative sample of Korean adults. Materials and Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2023 Korea Community Health Survey (n = 228,249 adults aged ≥19). Variables included Body Mass Index (BMI), body perception, and participation in walking and stretching. Complex sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA were used to examine group differences in BMI, body perception, and self-rated health (SRH). Comparisons were made across gender, age groups, residential environment (metropolitan vs. non-metropolitan), and household size. Results: Mean BMI was highest in individuals in their 30s and was lowest in those aged 80 and above (p < 0.001). Females reported lower BMIs and more positive SRH than males (p < 0.001). Metropolitan residents and individuals in larger households showed higher physical activity rates and more favorable SRH (p < 0.001). SRH and physical activity declined with age, while exercise participation was higher among individuals with higher BMI or self-perceived overweight status (p < 0.001). Although the direction of this association should be interpreted with caution. Conclusions: Age, gender, residence, and household composition significantly influenced physical activity and SRH. These findings highlight the need to prioritize interventions for older adults, single-person households, and non-metropolitan populations.

Objectives: This study explored the impact of physical activity (PA) participation on the lifestyle habits and school life of Korean elementary school students. Methods: We collected survey data from 28,514 elementary school students participating in the 2023 Student Health Examination conducted by the Korea Ministry of Education. PA participation was the independent variable, defined as whether elementary school students participate in exercise that makes them out of breath or sweat more than three times a week. The variables related to lifestyle habits included breakfast intake, amount of sleep, TV viewing, gaming/Internet use, thoughts about running away from home, perceived body image, and body mass index. The variables for school life included experiences of being bullied, the need for counseling regarding school life problems, and the need for counseling for distress. The collected data were analyzed using frequency analysis, chi-squared tests, and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: PA was significantly associated with regular breakfast intake, sufficient sleep, limited television viewing, reduced gaming/Internet use, and a positive perception of body image. Specifically, regarding breakfast intake, the average odds ratio (OR) was 1.160 for always having it. Regarding the amount of sleep, the average OR was 0.836 for less than 6 h, 0.692 for 6–7 h, and 0.767 for 7–8 h. Regarding TV viewing, the average OR was 0.831 for yes. For gaming, the average OR was 0.770 for yes. Regarding perceived body image, the average OR was 1.429 for slightly thin, 1.487 for normal, and 1.400 for slightly fat. Conclusions: These results suggest that children’s PA facilitates the formation of good lifestyle habits; therefore, it should be actively encouraged in children.

(1) Background: How variations of the push-up plus (PUP)-particularly changes in the base of support and scapular excursion-affect scapular muscle activation remains unclear. This study compared phase-specific electromyographic (EMG) activity of scapular muscles during four protraction-retraction exercises. (2) Methods: Twenty-six healthy male participants (age: 22.88 ± 1.45 years; height: 1.74 ± 0.05 m; weight: 77.31 ± 8.61 kg; body mass index (BMI): 25.61 ± 2.43 kg/m ) with Pilates experience performed four scapular protraction-retraction exercises under two base-of-support (quadruped vs. single-leg) and two movement-range (PUP vs. STD) conditions. Exercise order was randomized, and sufficient rest intervals were provided to minimize fatigue effects. Surface electromyography was recorded from six scapular muscles and normalized to maximal voluntary isometric contraction. The study was registered on CRIS (KCT0010032). (3) Results: Single-leg PUP showed the greatest serratus anterior (SA) activation, with increases of approximately 30% in protraction, 20-25% in isometric, and 15-20% in retraction. STD variations elicited higher trapezius activation, especially during large scapular excursions. The UT/SA ratio was significantly lower in PUP conditions (η = 0.544), reflecting a more favorable stabilization pattern. (4) Conclusions: This experimental repeated-measures study demonstrates that combining single-leg support with traditional PUP meaningfully increases SA recruitment across all phases, whereas increased scapular range enhances trapezius engagement. These findings provide novel phase-specific insights into how PUP variations modulate closed-chain scapular stabilization and may assist clinicians in selecting targeted exercises. Interpretation should be limited to trained healthy males.

Background/Objectives: Adolescent obesity is highly likely to lead to adult obesity and is associated with dietary habits, subjective health, and body image perception. This study aimed to analyze the relationships between BMI, dietary habits, subjective health perception, and body image perception among Korean adolescents using data from the 18th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted in 2022 to explore strategies for reducing adolescent obesity rates. Methods: Data from 50,427 participants were analyzed, including BMI, seven lifestyle factors (intake frequencies of water, milk, fruit, soft drinks, vegetables, breakfast, and late-night snacks), and responses to one item each for subjective health perception and body image perception. Results: Higher intake frequencies of breakfast, fruits, soft drinks, and late-night snacks were associated with lower BMI (p < 0.001). However, among high school students, those with lower water and breakfast intake but higher soft drink and late-night snack intake exhibited an increasing trend in BMI. Subjective health perception and body image perception were interrelated, with subjective health perception influencing body image perception (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Addressing nutritional issues within schools, including improving school meals, regulating accessible products, and providing nutritional intake guidelines, is essential. Additionally, developing tailored health education programs to promote healthy body image perceptions is necessary. This study can serve as a foundational resource for analyzing adolescent health and developing strategies to improve health behaviors in changing environments.

Background and Objectives: Scapular muscles are crucial in controlling scapular movement, ensuring proper alignment, and preventing injuries during shoulder joint motion. The shoulder abduction angle is one of the most important factors when performing exercises to improve scapular movement control. The Pilates reformer arm work (AW) movement can be performed with different shoulder abduction angles. Therefore, this study analyzed the differences in scapular muscle activation depending on the shoulder abduction angle during the AW movement. Materials and Methods: Twenty-six healthy adult males performed the AW movement under four shoulder abduction angle conditions (0°, 90°, 135°, 160°). When performing the AW in the four conditions, surface electromyography analyzed the muscle activation of the upper trapezius (UT), middle trapezius (MT), lower trapezius (LT), serratus anterior (SA), posterior deltoid (PD), and levator scapulae (LS), and the muscle activation ratios of the UT/LT, LS/LT, UT/SA, and LS/SA. Results: The UT, LT, and SA muscle activation increased proportionally with the increasing shoulder abduction angle (p < 0.001). The LT showed the highest muscle activity at the shoulder abduction angle of 135° (p < 0.001). The MT and PD showed the highest muscle activities at the shoulder abduction angle of 90° (p < 0.001). The muscle activity ratios of the UT/LT and LS/LT were the lowest at the shoulder abduction angles of 90° and 135° (p < 0.001). The muscle activity ratio between the UT/SA and LS/SA was the lowest at the 135° and 160° shoulder abduction angles (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings highlight the impact of the shoulder abduction angle on scapular muscle activation, suggesting that different angles may be used to engage specific muscles during Pilates reformer arm work exercises selectively. This insight can guide exercise interventions for individuals aiming to improve their scapular control and stability.

This study aimed to investigate the association between physical activity participation and key developmental competencies—learning concentration, self-management, and interpersonal skills—among Korean adolescents. Data were drawn from the 2021 Study on the State of Play Culture of Children and Adolescents and Measures to Support Growth, conducted by the Korea Adolescent Policy Institute. The study participants included elementary, middle, and high school students in Korea, consisting of 1507 males (53.3%) and 1322 females (46.7%), totaling 2829. We analyzed the data using frequency distribution, chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression. The results revealed a significant sex difference in the duration of physical activity, with boys spending more time engaging in physical activity than girls. In addition, time spent on physical activities decreased as the school grade level increased. Notably, the more time Korean adolescents spent engaging in daily physical activity, the higher they rated their learning concentration, self-management, and interpersonal skills. These findings suggest the need to promote greater physical activity among adolescents—particularly among girls—which can help improve learning concentration, self-management, and interpersonal skills.

Background/Objectives: This study determined the effects of 60 min or 30 min Pilates program on cervicothoracic alignment, muscular strength, and endurance in university students with upper-crossed syndrome (UCS). Methods: Twenty-six university students with UCS were randomly allocated into 60 min Pilates (60 PG, n = 9), 30 min Pilates (30 PG, n = 9), and control (CG, n = 8) groups. The 60 and 30 PG students participated in the Pilates program, focusing on relaxation, stability, mobility, and strengthening of the cervical, thoracic, and scapular muscles for 60 or 30 min per session, twice a week, for 12 weeks. Cervicothoracic alignment was measured using BodyStyle to determine craniovertebral angle (CVA), forward shoulder angle (FSA), head position angle (HPA), head tilt angle (HTA), and kyphosis angle (KA). We measured the muscular strength and endurance of the shoulder on the dominant side. Results: After the intervention, CVA, HPA, HTA, and KA significantly improved in the 60 and 30 PG (all p < 0.01) but not in the CG (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences between the 60 and 30 PG at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Shoulder strength differed between shoulder flexion and horizontal abduction (p < 0.01). Shoulder endurance differed between extension, flexion, and horizontal abduction (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: This study confirmed the effectiveness of the Pilates program in improving cervicothoracic sagittal alignment and shoulder muscular function in university students with UCS. Additionally, the effects of participating in 60 and 30 min Pilates programs were found to be equivalent. Therefore, encouraging busy university students to participate in at least 30 min of the Pilates program is important.