Influence of Health Behaviors, Women's Health, and Employment Characteristics on Obesity Among Married Working Women: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to identify sociodemographic, health-behavior, women’s health, and employment characteristics associated with obesity among married working women in Korea. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional secondary analysis used pooled data from the 2022–2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The final sample included 1,364 married salaried women aged 19–64 years with complete data on all study variables. Complex-sample Rao–Scott chi-square tests and hierarchical logistic regression analyses were performed using KNHANES stratification, clustering, and sampling weights.Results: The weighted prevalence of obesity was 26.9%. In the fully adjusted model, obesity was associated with middle school education or less (vs. college or higher), mid-high household income (vs. high income), absence of strength training, sleep duration <6 h (vs. 6-8 h), hypertension, and diabetes. The addition of employment characteristics produced little change in model explanatory power.Conclusion: Obesity among married working women was associated with socioeconomic characteristics, health behaviors, and metabolic health conditions. Because this study was cross-sectional, the findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal relationships. Obesity-prevention strategies for this population should prioritize modifiable health behaviors while also considering the broader social context in which these behaviors occur.