title: Modifying effects of education on the association between lifestyle behaviors and the risk of obesity: evidence from South Korea.
abstract: No previous study has explored the interactions between education and lifestyle in relation to obesity. This study hypothesized that education may be obesogenic through its interplay with lifestyle behaviors.
  
  
  
  Data for a nationally representative sample (6937 men and 9333 women) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2012) were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed for three education levels and six lifestyle behaviors, each of which comprised two groups.
  
  
  
  Interactions between education and lifestyle behaviors in relation to obesity were observed for all lifestyle behaviors in women (p for interaction <0.001) and for three lifestyle behaviors in men. Education appeared obesogenic for three groups of lifestyle behaviors in men (p for trend <0.05), but was protective against obesity for 11 groups in women. Each one-unit increase in education level in men increased the odds of obesity by 1.29-fold among under-reported energy intake groups (95 % confidence interval: 1.16, 1.44).
  
  
  
  Education may be a risk factor for obesity through its interplay with lifestyle behaviors. Further research is required to examine these findings in different socio-cultural settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy, Graduate School of Public Health, Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Woojin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Health Insurance Policy Research Institute, National Health Insurance Service, 32 Geongang-ro, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, 26464, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sunmi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Health Insurance Policy Research Institute, National Health Insurance Service, 32 Geongang-ro, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, 26464, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Ji
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Health Insurance Policy Research Institute, National Health Insurance Service, 32 Geongang-ro, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, 26464, Republic of Korea. jaeyeunk@yuhs.ac.|Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea. jaeyeunk@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Jaeyeun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Education; Interaction; Lifestyle behavior; Obesity; Sex; South Korea