Obesity and Nutritional Epidemiology in Korean Adults
Summary
Obesity has emerged as a major public health concern in Korea, with prevalence among adults increasing steadily over recent decades. Rapid economic development, urbanisation and lifestyle changes have driven a nutrition transition characterised by higher consumption of energy-dense foods, increased intake of fats and sugars, and more frequent eating out. At the same time, levels of physical inactivity have risen, compounding the risk of overweight and obesity. Nutritional epidemiology in Korea relies heavily on large‐scale, nationally representative surveys to elucidate the links between dietary factors and health outcomes. These studies have identified shifts in macronutrient profiles—declining carbohydrate and vegetable intake and growing reliance on processed foods—and have highlighted the role of sociodemographic determinants such as income, education and household type. Korean research has also begun to explore the interplay of environmental exposures, for example to heavy metals, with dietary patterns and metabolic risk. Taken together, these findings inform a suite of policy measures—from nutrition labelling and school meal standards to targeted community interventions—aimed at curbing obesity, preventing related chronic diseases and promoting healthier food environments.
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Obesity and Nutritional Epidemiology in Korean Adults publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in obesity and nutritional epidemiology in korean adults across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Body mass index (BMI): A measure of body fat calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared.
Nutritional epidemiology: The study of the relationship between dietary intake and health outcomes in populations.
Metabolic syndrome: A cluster of conditions—including central adiposity, hypertension, impaired glucose regulation and dyslipidaemia—that together increase cardiovascular risk.
Dietary pattern: The overall combination and frequency of foods and beverages consumed habitually by an individual or group.
Concentration index: A statistical metric for quantifying the degree of socioeconomic-related inequality in health outcomes.
References
- Investigating the Influence of Heavy Metals and Environmental Factors on Metabolic Syndrome Risk Based on Nutrient Intake: Machine Learning Analysis of Data from the Eighth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Nutrients (2024).
- Trends in food and nutrient intake over 20 years: findings from the 1998-2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Epidemiology and Health (2021).
- Measuring Socioeconomic Inequalities in Obesity among Korean Adults, 1998–2015. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2019).
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