Do kids really gain more weight when moms work longer hours?
Study says long working hours for moms linked to higher risk of abdominal obesity in children, but what about dads?
Children whose mothers work long hours are more than twice as likely to develop abdominal obesity, according to a recent South Korean study examining the link between maternal working hours and metabolic health risks in adolescents.
The study, conducted by Park Hoon-ki's team from the department of family medicine at Hanyang University Hospital, analyzed data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2016 to 2020, involving 2,598 children and adolescents aged 10 to 18.
Researchers investigated the presence of metabolic syndrome in these youths, which is diagnosed when abdominal obesity is present along with at least two other conditions, such as high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or high triglyceride levels. People with metabolic syndrome have an increased risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and stroke.
The team classified mothers' weekly working hours into five groups: not employed, one to 19 hours, 20 to 39 hours, 40 to 52 hours and over 53 hours. They then compared the prevalence of metabolic syndrome risk factors in children across these categories. Under current labor laws in South Korea, regular working hours must not exceed 40 hours a week. This can be extended to 52 hours when including overtime, which is not to exceed 12 hours a week.
The findings showed that children whose mothers worked more than 53 hours a week had 2.27 times higher prevalence of abdominal obesity than those whose mothers were not employed. Although the overall risk for metabolic syndrome increased by 1.93 times, this result did not reach statistical significance, the report said.
A gender-based breakdown revealed a sharper disparity among girls, as the daughters of mothers working over 53 hours a week were 6.07 times more likely to have metabolic syndrome compared to girls whose mothers did not work.
The researchers suggest that longer maternal working hours may reduce the time available for healthy meal preparation and physical activity guidance, both critical factors in preventing childhood obesity and related health problems.
Previous international studies have also noted a correlation between increased maternal working hours and higher body mass index in children.
'While we confirmed a significant association between mothers' extended working hours and increased risk of metabolic syndrome in children, especially daughters, further long-term studies are needed to clarify the causal relationship,' Park noted.
The Korea Herald asked whether the findings factored for fathers working long hours, but the researchers had not responded by press time.
jychoi@heraldcorp.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Korea Herald
GC Biopharma's Phase 3 Clinical Trial Results for Hunterase Published in SCIE-Indexed Journal
YONGIN, South Korea, May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- GC Biopharma, a South Korean pharmaceutical company, announced that the Phase 3 clinical trial results for Hunterase (idursulfase beta), its investigational drug for Hunter Syndrome (MPS II), have been published in Genetics in Medicine, an SCIE-indexed journal. Conducted at Samsung Medical Center, the Phase 3 clinical trial enrolled 24 newly diagnosed Hunter Syndrome patients with no prior treatment. It evaluated the efficacy and safety of Hunterase over a one-year treatment period. Hunter Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS), an enzyme critical for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) catabolism. This deficiency leads to the progressive accumulation of GAGs in various organs and tissues, resulting in multisystemic dysfunction, including joint stiffness and hepatosplenomegaly. The clinical trial results demonstrated that Hunterase significantly enhanced functional mobility, reduced urinary GAG concentrations, and markedly alleviated hepatosplenomegaly. In the 6-Minute Walk Test (6-MWT), the primary endpoint of the study, patients treated with Hunterase walked an average of 62.2 meters more after treatment. This improvement was more than eight times greater compared to the placebo group, which saw an average increase of just 7.3 meters. The 6-MWT measures the distance a patient can walk on a flat surface within 6 minutes. It is a widely used clinical measure for evaluating functional mobility, cardiopulmonary function, muscle strength, and overall physical health. In the context of Hunter syndrome, it serves as a standardized and meaningful indicator of disease progression and quality of life. In addition to the primary endpoint, the study also achieved positive outcomes in secondary endpoints, including changes in urinary total glycosaminoglycan (GAG) levels, as well as heparan sulfate (HS) and dermatan sulfate (DS) levels. The GAG levels decreased by 71%, while HS and DS levels decreased by 89% and 88%, respectively. Moreover, liver and spleen volumes were reduced by 27% and 26%, respectively, demonstrating the drug's effectiveness in addressing organ enlargement commonly associated with the disease. Hunterase also demonstrated a favorable safety profile. Most adverse events were mild or moderate, and no patients discontinued treatment due to side effects. Notably, only 19% of the patients had neutralizing antibodies detected three or more consecutive times, which is significantly lower than the 62.5% observed with the existing treatments. This suggests that Hunterase may offer a more sustained therapeutic effect compared to other currently available therapy. "This clinical trial is especially meaningful as it represents the first Phase 3 study in Asian patients to validate the clinical efficacy of Hunterase", said Professor Young Bae Sohn of Ajou University School of Medicine and Ajou University Hospital, the journal's first author. "The results showed significant clinical improvement not only in metabolic markers but also in organ size normalization and restoration of physical mobility." "We are thrilled to publish our encouraging phase 3 clinical trial results", stated Jae Uk Jeong, Head of R&D at GC Biopharma. "Hunterase, developed in Korea using our proprietary technology, has the potential to significantly improve the lives of patients with Hunter syndrome." Hunter Syndrome is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder, affecting approximately 1 in 100,000 male births. In severe cases, the patients experience early death before they reach adulthood, highlighting the need for early diagnosis and treatment. Currently, two treatments are widely available worldwide for Hunter Syndrome: GC Biopharma's Hunterase and Takeda's Elaprase. About GC Biopharma GC Biopharma (formerly known as Green Cross Corporation) is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Yong-in, South Korea. The company has over half a century of experience in the development and manufacturing of plasma derivatives and vaccines, and is expanding its global presence with successful US market entry of Alyglo™(intravenous immunoglobulin G) in 2024. In line with its mission to meet the demands of future healthcare, GC Biopharma continues to drive innovation by leveraging its core R&D capabilities in engineering of proteins, mRNAs, and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) drug delivery platform to develop therapeutics for the field of rare disease as well as I&I (Immunology & Inflammation). To learn more about the company, visit This press release may contain biopharmaceuticals in forward-looking statements, which express the current beliefs and expectations of GC Biopharma's management. Such statements do not represent any guarantee by GC Biopharma or its management of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors. GC Biopharma undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained in this press release or any other forward-looking statements it may make, except as required by law or stock exchange rule.
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Korea Herald
Watchful of summer COVID-19 resurgence, Korea urges older adults to get vaccinated
The South Korean government is closely monitoring COVID-19 resurgences in regional neighbors including Hong Kong, China and Thailand, amid growing worries that a summer resurgence may hit the country again this year. At a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting Friday, Director Lee Han-kyung warned of worsening COVID-19 trends abroad. "In regions close to us — Hong Kong, China and Thailand — COVID-19 infections are rising, and this is a cause for concern," Lee said at the meeting. He urged senior citizens aged 65 and above, as well as residents in high-risk facilities, to get vaccinated, stressing that vaccination is key to preventing severe illness and death. According to government data, recent overseas COVID-19 cases are showing a noticeable uptick. In Hong Kong, confirmed cases for the week of May 11 to 17 totaled 977, exceeding the country's previous summer peak of 796. China's rate of positivity COVID-19 test results is steadily climbing toward last year's peak of 21.1 percent, while in Thailand, more than 65,000 new cases were reported in the three weeks following the Songkran holiday in April. Despite the global trend, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Korea remained at around 100 each week over the past month. Currently, South Korea estimates the number of confirmed cases in select hospitals on a weekly basis. Still, the government is taking a proactive stance in consideration that domestic cases last year surged sharply from late July to mid-August. Weekly confirmed cases jumped from 456 in the fourth week of July to over 1,400 by mid-August in 2023. To mitigate potential risks, health authorities have extended the vaccination period for high-risk groups until June 30, two months beyond the initial April 30 deadline. The Korean Medical Association also issued a public advisory, pointing to the seasonal temperature shifts, increased domestic and international travel and a noticeable drop in personal hygiene practices such as hand-washing. It recommended six precautionary measures: maintaining personal hygiene, wearing masks, prompt response to symptoms, testing for high-risk individuals and recent international travelers, getting vaccinated and improving indoor ventilation. Recalling difficulties caused by last summer's surge, the association emphasized that preventive habits such as hand-washing and mask-wearing remain crucial.
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Korea Herald
S. Korea approves domestic operations of Starlink, OneWeb satellite internet services
South Korea has approved requests from US space firm SpaceX and Britain's OneWeb to launch their satellite internet services in the country, the science ministry said Friday. The government approved three separate cross-border supply agreements: one between SpaceX and Starlink Korea; a second between Hanwha Systems Co. and OneWeb; and a third between KT Sat and OneWeb, the Ministry of Science and ICT said in a press release. To advance its Starlink service, SpaceX has established a local subsidiary, Starlink Korea. "The approval comes after reviewing three key factors: the potential for stable service provision, the expected impact on the domestic telecommunications market and consumer protection," the ministry said. Local frequencies became available for Starlink and OneWeb following a recent revision to the Radio Waves Act. As for the launch timeline, the ministry said services could begin as early as June or later this year. Starlink offers high-speed, low-latency internet service worldwide via a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites. Under South Korean law, foreign companies must sign a supply agreement with a domestic telecommunications operator to offer communications network services in the country. Once implemented, LEO satellite communication services will enable high-speed internet access in areas with traditionally poor connectivity as well as on ships and aircraft, where only low-speed satellite connections are currently available, the ministry said. The maritime sector, in particular, is expected to benefit significantly. Crews on long-haul voyages will gain access to over-the-top media services and video calls, marking a major improvement in seafarers' welfare and communication options. To compete with early movers, South Korea announced plans last year to launch two domestically developed LEO satellites using sixth-generation communication technology by 2030. LEO satellites, orbiting between 300 and 1,500 kilometers above Earth, can provide high-speed, low-latency communication due to their proximity to the planet, compared with geostationary satellites. The government plans to invest a total of 320 billion won ($234 million) over six years through 2030 in the development project. It expects the global LEO satellite internet service market to grow to 740 trillion won by 2040. (Yonhap)
