{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]],"date-time":"2026-09-08T12:10:11Z","timestamp":1788869411050,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,31]],"date-time":"2026-08-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788134400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Objectives: The objective of this paper is to analyse trends in obesity-related legislation in the Republic of Korea (2006\u20132024) and examine political, institutional, and ideational factors observed in relation to legislative outcomes. Methods: A retrospective policy analysis of 53 obesity-related bills identified through systematic searches of the National Assembly Legislative Information System and independently coded by two researchers. Quantitative trends were examined by policy domain and instrument type, and qualitative analysis applied Kingdon\u2019s Multiple Streams Framework, the Ideas\u2013Interests\u2013Institutions (3I) model, and Policy Instrument Theory. Results: Legislative attention increased unevenly across the study period. Sixteen bills (30.2%) achieved a favorable legislative outcome, comprising direct passage or incorporation into an enacted committee alternative. Regulatory instruments dominated, followed by educational and institutional tools; fiscal measures were rare. Legislative activity clustered in 2013 and 2017\u20132019, while later proposals increasingly addressed school, digital, and post-pandemic concerns. Conclusions: Korea\u2019s experience shows both progress and fragmentation in obesity governance. Child-focused framing and institutional feasibility were recurrent features among enacted measures, whereas fiscal and structural proposals were less frequently enacted. The findings highlight the importance of considering regulatory, educational, and fiscal approaches within a comprehensive intersectoral policy framework.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu18172848","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,1]],"date-time":"2026-09-01T01:05:26Z","timestamp":1788224726000},"page":"2848","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Trends and Contextual Factors Related to Obesity-Related Legislation in the Republic of Korea (2006\u20132024)"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2780-7678","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yuri","family":"Lee","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health and Medical Information, Myongji College, Seoul 03656, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"formal-analysis","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"data-curation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"visualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"investigation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Hyun-Young","family":"Shin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Family Medicine, Seoul St. Mary\u2019s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"resources","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"data-curation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"supervision","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"funding-acquisition","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"project-administration","vocabulary":"credit"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"World Health Organization (WHO) (2026, July 13). Obesity and Overweight Fact Sheet. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/obesity-and-overweight."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO) (2025). 2025 Obesity Fact Sheet, KSSO. Available online: https:\/\/www.kosso.or.kr."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Oh, J., Mun, W.-L., Lee, Y.-E., Roh, S.-Y., and Kim, G. (2025). Interrelation Between BMI, Dietary Habits, Self-Rated Health, and Body Image Perception Among Korean Adolescents: The Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (2022). Nutrients, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17020253"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"673","DOI":"10.1007\/s40273-014-0243-x","article-title":"The epidemiology of obesity: A big picture","volume":"33","author":"Hruby","year":"2015","journal-title":"Pharmacoeconomics"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"166","DOI":"10.7570\/jomes24050","article-title":"Parental perspectives on pediatric obesity prevention and management in Korea: Insights into barriers and facilitators","volume":"34","author":"Jung","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Obes. Metab. Syndr."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-0009.2009.00550.x","article-title":"Physical activity and food environments: Solutions to the obesity epidemic","volume":"87","author":"Sallis","year":"2009","journal-title":"Milbank Q."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"1863","article-title":"Policy instruments for health promotion: A comparison of WHO policy guidance for tobacco, alcohol, nutrition and physical activity","volume":"11","author":"Gelius","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Health Policy Manag."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Phulkerd, S., Nakraksa, P., Mo-Suwan, L., and Lawrence, M. (2021). Progress towards achieving the recommendations of the commission on ending childhood obesity: A comprehensive review and analysis of current policies, actions and implementation gaps in Thailand. Nutrients, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu13061927"},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) (2026, July 13). Obesity, Diet and Physical Activity. Available online: https:\/\/www.oecd.org\/health\/obesity-diet-and-physical-activity.htm."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1200","DOI":"10.1093\/heapol\/czw052","article-title":"Why do policies change? Institutions, interests, ideas and networks in three cases of policy reform","volume":"31","author":"Shearer","year":"2016","journal-title":"Health Policy Plan."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"413","DOI":"10.4163\/kjn.2010.43.4.413","article-title":"Current status and improvements of obesity related legislation","volume":"43","author":"Kwak","year":"2010","journal-title":"Korean J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Park, E., and Ko, Y. (2022). Trends in obesity and obesity-related risk factors among adolescents in Korea from 2009 to 2019. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19095672"},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"Park, S. (2026, July 13). Government Cool to Proposal for Establishing a \u201cBasic Obesity Act.\u201d Medical Observer. Available online: https:\/\/bit.ly\/45BZhM9."},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"National Assembly of the Republic of Korea (2026, February 07). Legislative Information System 2026, Available online: https:\/\/likms.assembly.go.kr\/."},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"Bemelmans-Videc, M.-L., Rist, R.C., and Vedung, E. (1998). Carrots, Sticks, and Sermons: Policy Instruments and Their Evaluation, Transaction Publishers."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1007\/s11886-015-0658-9","article-title":"CVD prevention through policy: A review of mass media, food\/menu labeling, taxation\/subsidies, built environment, school procurement, worksite wellness, and marketing standards to improve diet","volume":"17","author":"Afshin","year":"2015","journal-title":"Curr. Cardiol. Rep."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"188","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1753-4887.2011.00442.x","article-title":"Policies to promote healthy eating in Europe: A structured review of policies and their effectiveness","volume":"70","author":"Capacci","year":"2012","journal-title":"Nutr. Rev."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2047","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2009.183939","article-title":"Public health professionals as policy entrepreneurs: Arkansas\u2019s childhood obesity policy experience","volume":"100","author":"Craig","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am. J. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Herweg, N., Zahariadis, N., and Zohlnh\u00f6fer, R. (2023). The multiple streams framework: Foundations, refinements, and empirical applications. Theories of the Policy Process, Routledge.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781003308201-3"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.61093\/hem.2025.1-03","article-title":"Manufacturing illness: The role of big food and big pharma in the healthcare crisis and its soaring costs","volume":"6","author":"Morin","year":"2025","journal-title":"Health Econ. Manag. Rev."},{"key":"ref_21","first-page":"87","article-title":"Explaining the policy process underpinning public sector reform: The role of ideas, institutions, and timing","volume":"1","author":"Denis","year":"2018","journal-title":"Perspect. Public Manag. Gov."},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2016). Report of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity, World Health Organization."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"564","DOI":"10.1377\/hlthaff.2016.1231","article-title":"In Mexico, evidence of sustained consumer response two years after implementing a sugar-sweetened beverage tax","volume":"36","author":"Colchero","year":"2017","journal-title":"Health Aff."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Scarborough, P., Adhikari, V., Harrington, R.A., Elhussein, A., Briggs, A., Rayner, M., Adams, J., Cummins, S., Penney, T., and White, M. (2020). Impact of the announcement and implementation of the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy on sugar content, price, product size and number of available soft drinks in the UK, 2015\u20132019: A controlled interrupted time series analysis. PLoS Med., 17.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmed.1003025"},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Republic of Korea (2026, August 15). Nutrition Labeling for Processed Foods, Available online: https:\/\/www.foodsafetykorea.go.kr\/portal\/board\/board.do?menu_grp=MENU_NEW03&menu_no=3714."},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"Ministry of Government Legislation, Republic of Korea (2026). Enforcement Rule of the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Foods: Appendix 4, Foods Subject to Nutrition Labeling."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"715","DOI":"10.1111\/obr.12551","article-title":"Obesity: A chronic relapsing progressive disease process. A position statement of the World Obesity Federation","volume":"18","author":"Bray","year":"2017","journal-title":"Obes. Rev."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"Korean Statistical Information Service (2026, July 13). Obesity Rate: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Available online: https:\/\/kosis.kr\/visual\/nsportalStats\/detailContents.do?listId=D&statJipyoId=3671&vStatJipyoId=5103."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"791","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(18)32822-8","article-title":"The global syndemic of obesity, undernutrition, and climate change: The Lancet Commission report","volume":"393","author":"Swinburn","year":"2019","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Taillie, L.S., Reyes, M., Colchero, M.A., Popkin, B., and Corval\u00e1n, C. (2020). An evaluation of Chile\u2019s Law of Food Labeling and Advertising on sugar-sweetened beverage purchases from 2015 to 2017: A before-and-after study. PLoS Med., 17.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmed.1003015"},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) (2019). The Heavy Burden of Obesity: The Economics of Prevention, OECD Publishing."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2022). European Regional Obesity Report 2022, WHO Regional Office for Europe."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"678","DOI":"10.3803\/EnM.2024.2056","article-title":"Epidemiology and trends of obesity and bariatric surgery in Korea","volume":"39","author":"Han","year":"2024","journal-title":"Endocrinol. Metab."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"Ministry of Government Legislation, Republic of Korea (2015). Narcotics Control Act, Act No. 13331, Amended May 18, 2015."},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Republic of Korea (2020). Safe Use Guidelines for Medical Narcotic Appetite Suppressants."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1177\/02632760122052020","article-title":"The politics of life itself","volume":"18","author":"Rose","year":"2001","journal-title":"Theory Cult. Soc."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wright, J., and Harwood, V. (2012). Biopolitics and The \u2018Obesity Epidemic\u2019: Governing Bodies, Routledge.","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203882061"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-0009.2009.00546.x","article-title":"Obesity metaphors: How beliefs about the causes of obesity affect support for public policy","volume":"87","author":"Barry","year":"2009","journal-title":"Milbank Q."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"500","DOI":"10.1136\/jech.2009.102020","article-title":"The state of Health in All policies (HiAP) in the European Union: Potential and pitfalls","volume":"64","author":"Koivusalo","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Epidemiol. Community Health"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.1186\/s12939-015-0207-6","article-title":"Towards health equity: A framework for the application of proportionate universalism","volume":"14","author":"Carey","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. Equity Health"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"498","DOI":"10.1111\/josh.12518","article-title":"Food availability in school stores in Seoul, South Korea after implementation of food- and nutrient-based policies","volume":"87","author":"Choi","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Sch. Health"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1007\/s13679-014-0128-5","article-title":"New media but same old tricks: Food marketing to children in the digital age","volume":"4","author":"Kelly","year":"2015","journal-title":"Curr. Obes. Rep."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"595","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amepre.2013.01.031","article-title":"Menu labeling regulations and calories purchased at chain restaurants","volume":"44","author":"Krieger","year":"2013","journal-title":"Am. J. Prev. Med."}],"container-title":["Nutrients"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/18\/17\/2848\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]],"date-time":"2026-09-08T11:28:40Z","timestamp":1788866920000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/18\/17\/2848"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,31]]},"references-count":43,"journal-issue":{"issue":"17","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]}},"alternative-id":["nu18172848"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/nu18172848","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-6643"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-6643","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,31]]}}}