Cardiometabolic experts alarmed by young adult obesity, urge proactive measures

Abdominal obesity is increasing at an alarming rate among young people in their 20s and 30s, and experts point out that cardiovascular management policies targeting young people are needed.

Last Friday, the Korean Society of Cardiometabolic Syndrome (KSCMS) held a news conference during the Asia-Pacific Congress on CardioMetabolic Syndrome (APCMS 2025). The “Metabolic Syndrome Fact Sheet 2024” revealed that the prevalence of cardiometabolic syndrome before and after the COVID-19 pandemic rose from 27.7 percent in 2018-2019 to 29.7 percent in 2020-2021. The prevalence of abdominal obesity and hyperglycemia also increased significantly.

Professor Kim Hyun-jin of the Department of Cardiology at Hanyang University Guri Hospital, who presented the fact sheet's features, said, “The rate of abdominal obesity in people in their 20s and 30s has increased significantly. While it naturally increases with age, abdominal obesity in men in their 20s and 30s has increased tremendously, particularly in their 30s.”

This indicates a high risk of developing chronic cardiovascular diseases 20 to 30 years later, therefore, focusing on younger people may offer socioeconomic benefits" or "thus, a focus on younger people could be beneficial socioeconomically, Professor Kim emphasized.

“Younger people are less interested in managing abdominal obesity to prevent cardiovascular disease,” Kim said. “Despite Korea's good infrastructure, including national health checkups, young people have relatively few opportunities to access them.”

Kim said strategies targeting young people are needed, adding that he hopes future conferences will focus on developing customized strategies that young people want.

At the press conference, there were also voices of concern about GLP-1 drugs, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, which are being overused for cosmetic purposes in Korea.

“GLP-1 drugs were introduced in diabetic patients because they have the effect of reducing cardiovascular diseases by controlling diabetes, and they are licensed for obesity treatment in patients with a BMI of 35 or more, who are more likely to have cardiovascular diseases due to weight loss,” KSCMS President Han Seung-hwan said. “Most people are trying to get Wegovy or Mounjaro for cosmetic purposes, not to prevent cardiovascular disease or diabetes.”

“Since cardiologists are not the ones who mainly prescribe them, they are often seen as a treatment introduced for cosmetic purposes,” Han said. “I think it may be true that cardiologists should prescribe them as much as necessary to prevent diabetes and heart disease rather than for cosmetic purposes. This is something that needs more publicity.”

“The KSCMS is a leading organization in addressing obesity-related heart disease,” he said. “We are considering issuing an opinion paper stating that we should refrain from excessive use for cosmetic purposes after further discussion within the society.”

KSCMS Vice President Kim Won also said, “Our Society is preparing an internal social impact assessment on the excessive use of GLP-1 drugs for cosmetic purposes. I think it is necessary to jointly issue an opinion with related societies regarding the excessive use of GLP-1 drugs, such as gastric bypass. When the social impact assessment results come out, we will speak out together with related societies based on the results.”