Exploring the correlation between moderate-intensity physical activity and lifestyle habits in unmarried South Korean men

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of moderate-intensity physical activity on obesity prevention, stress, smoking, and alcohol consumption among unmarried Korean men. Such a study is necessary since it seeks to understand the health behavior of unmarried Korean men and suggests the right direction for health management. In particular, this study investigated the association of the frequency of participation in moderate-intensity physical activity with lifestyle variables, such as body mass index (BMI), perceived stress, smoking and alcohol consumption, among unmarried men in the Republic of Korea. To this end, a second cross-sectional study was conducted by collecting data from unmarried men in Korea who participated in the 2022 Korea Community Health Survey. The data was then analyzed using SPSS for Windows (version 23.0; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) for frequency analysis, chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The findings revealed that a majority of unmarried Korean men do not participate in moderate-intensity physical activity. Unmarried men were also more likely to have moderate, overweight, and obese BMIs than those who did not engage in moderate-intensity physical activity. Conversely, the likelihood of smoking and drinking alcohol decreased with an increase in the number of days they engaged in physical activity. These findings highlight the importance of creating a social environment that encourages unmarried men to participate in moderate-intensity physical activity. The results of this study can be used to develop health management strategies and health-related policies for unmarried men in the Republic of Korea.

Keywords

• body mass index
• drinking
• perceived stress
• physical activity
• smoking