Three out of every 10 students from elementary to high school were overweight or obese last year, as the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic kept them from outdoor activities, an Education Ministry report showed.

The rate of overweight or obese students reached 30.8 percent as of 2021, according to the report based on health checkup results from 1,023 elementary, middle and high schools nationwide.

Of the total students included in the report, 19 percent were obese, up 3.9 percentage points, while those who were overweight represented 11.8 percent, up 1.1 percentage points.

A ministry official said the higher obesity rate could be attributed to the pandemic cutting down on outdoor activities for students, as well as an increase in students' intake of high-calorie foods. (Yonhap)