By Lee Kyung-min
The government will cover surgery cost for “highly obese” people starting in the latter half of this year, as well as shoulder treatment consultation costs for those who consider undergoing the procedures, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday. It will also seek to mandate expanded physical checkups for children to help them manage early onset child obesity starting next year. These are among a set of obesity-tackling policies jointly announced by the ministries of health, food and drug safety, education, labor, culture, infrastructure and food.
Under the measures, the National Health Insurance Service will shoulder surgery costs for lap-band, gastric resection and gastric bypass, options mostly considered by those who fall under the category of “highly obese” under the Body Mass Index (BMI).
The government will require children to be checked for metabolic syndrome, closely linked to obesity and a lack of physical exercise. Those diagnosed with the syndrome are prone to increased risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, following a cluster of conditions that occur together such as increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol levels and body fat around the waist.
The government will also set up guidelines against excessive consumption of alcohol, junk food and sugary drinks next year. Monitoring TV, radio and internet ads as well as a public campaign against unhealthy lifestyles will begin in the latter half the year.
The measures came amid a rapid increase of overweight people. According to the health ministry, the country's obesity rate is expected to reach 41.5 percent in 2022 from 34.8 percent in 2016. The obesity rate of the country's young is significantly higher than the OECD average, posing the risk of developing other health complications, according to the ministry. “In a 2014 report, adult obesity in the country was lower than the OECD average, but youth obesity was rising steadily. Limiting caloric intake and exercising are the two most important goals for anybody suffering from obesity.”