(C) Reason Foundation

Health indicators for South Korean adolescents are noticeably worsening as they progress through school. Notably, for female high school sophomores, the usage rate of liquid e-cigarettes has surpassed that of conventional cigarettes for the first time, signaling a shift in smoking patterns that requires urgent countermeasures.

According to the "Korea Youth Health Panel Study (2025) Final Result Report" released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on the 29th, a long-term tracking of the same group revealed that key health behaviors—including smoking, drinking, diet, and physical activity—tended to decline as students reached higher grades. This project tracks 5,051 students, who were in 6th grade in 2019, for a total of 10 years until three years after high school graduation.

This report analyzes data up to the 6th year (2024, high school sophomore year). The most concerning aspect is the change in smoking behavior. The "lifetime experience rate" of tobacco use rose from 0.35% in 6th grade to 9.59% by the second year of high school. Specifically, in the "current usage rate" for 11th-grade girls, liquid e-cigarettes (1.54%) overtook regular cigarettes (1.33%) for the first time. This suggests that e-cigarettes are being accepted with less resistance than conventional tobacco among female students.

Alcohol consumption also showed a steep upward curve. The "sip-based" experience rate reached 60.8%, meaning 6 out of 10 panel members have tasted alcohol. The "glass-based" experience rate (consuming at least one full drink) was 33.7%. Notably, the highest rate of new alcohol experiences occurred during the transition to 7th grade (15.6%), proving that students are most vulnerable to harmful substances during the environmental shift from elementary to middle school.

Physical health indicators are also at critical levels. The rate of skipping breakfast more than five days a week rose to 33.0%, up 4.0 percentage points from the previous year. Conversely, the intake of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products decreased. Only 13.5% of students engaged in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily. Furthermore, the rate of smartphone overdependence stood at 35.1%, and 8.0% of students suffered from moderate to severe anxiety disorders.

Environmental factors played a decisive role. Analysis showed that students were significantly more likely to start smoking or drinking if their friends had permissive attitudes toward these behaviors or if they had friends who smoked. Parental attitudes and the presence of smokers or drinkers at home also accelerated early exposure.

The KDCA plans to continue tracking the group for the remaining three years as they transition into adulthood. With a high panel retention rate of 80.7%, this study is expected to provide crucial evidence regarding how adolescent habits influence adult health.

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