Background
Childhood obesity is a growing health concern that increases the risk of cardiometabolic disorders. This study investigated family and lifestyle factors that contribute to overweight in schoolchildren.
Methods
This case-control study of 1,016 children (6–12 years) in Palembang was conducted using questionnaires and anthropometry. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between selected variables and overweight, reported using adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
Frequent consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods, such as noodles or pasta, was associated with a higher risk of overweight (AOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.11–2.78; P=0.014). Limited protein 1 time per a day (AOR, 3.30; 95% CI, 2.00–5.43; P<0.001), flavored cow’s milk (AOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.06–2.95; P=0.029), and snacking (≥5 times per week) (AOR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.04–2.39; P=0.031) also increased the risk. Conversely, daily fruit consumption reduced the risk (AOR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.45–0.95; P=0.027). Family-related factors such as formal maternal employment (AOR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.06–2.33; P=0.023), eating together less than 5 times per a week (AOR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.04–3.04; P=0.032), and not bringing lunch to school (AOR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.15–3.31; P=0.012) significantly increased the risk.
Conclusion
Several factors are associated with overweight among schoolchildren, including high intake of noodles or pasta, limited protein consumption, flavored milk, frequent snacking, low fruit intake, maternal employment, infrequent family meals, and not bringing food to school.

Background
Depression is a prevalent mental health disorder that presents substantial public health challenges. Emerging evidence underscores the role of dietary patterns in mitigating depressive symptoms. This study investigated the association between diet quality, assessed using the Recommended Food Score (RFS), and depressive symptoms, evaluated with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), in a sample of Korean adults.
Methods
This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 19,786 participants recruited from a general hospital in Korea, all of whom completed the RFS and PHQ-9 assessments. General characteristics and anthropometric indices were recorded. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and binary logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals for depressive symptoms according to RFS scores, adjusting for potential confounders.
Results
Higher RFS scores were associated with reduced odds of depression in univariate (OR, 0.59; P<0.001) and multivariate (OR, 0.72; P<0.001) analyses. Sociodemographic factors, including older age, higher education, marital status, higher income, professional occupation, and regular exercise, were linked to decreased odds of depression. Conversely, female sex, current smoking, and alcohol consumption were associated with increased odds.
Conclusion
The findings reveal an inverse relationship between diet quality and depressive symptoms among Korean adults, emphasizing the potential of dietary improvements in mental health promotion. Sociodemographic factors significantly influence depression risk. Future studies should adopt longitudinal designs incorporating a wider range of variables to elucidate these complex interactions.

Citations

• A year of significant progress for the Korean Journal of Family Medicine
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2026; 47(1): 1.     CrossRef