Fact sheet: nationwide trends in dietary intakes among Korean adults, 2013–2022

Background/Aims Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the recent nationwide trends in major dietary risk factors for dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis. Methods We estimated age-standardized mean intakes of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole...

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Main Authors: Hannah Oh, Garam Jo, Oh Yoen Kim, Hyunjung Lim, SuJin Song, Jeong-Hwa Choi, Jae Hyun Bae, Eun-Sun Jin, Rockli Kim, Yujin Lee, In-Kyung Jeong, Min-Jeong Shin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Korean Association of Internal Medicine 2025-05-01
Series:The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine
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Online Access:http://kjim.org/upload/kjim-2024-337.pdf
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Summary:Background/Aims Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the recent nationwide trends in major dietary risk factors for dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis. Methods We estimated age-standardized mean intakes of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, dietary fiber, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs); and mean percentage of energy intake from protein, total fat, saturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat using nationally representative samples from the Korean National Health Examination and Nutrition Survey 2013–2022. To assess overall diet quality, we calculated mean Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) (range 0–100, higher scores indicating greater diet quality). Results In 2013–2022, there were overall decreasing trends in age-standardized mean KHEI score and intakes of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and dietary fiber; and overall increasing trends in mean intakes of SSBs, protein, and dietary fat among both male and female. The KHEI score increased in older adults aged ≥ 60 years, whereas it decreased among younger adults. Throughout the study period, younger adults tended to have lower intakes of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and whole grains; higher intakes of SSBs, protein, and dietary fat; and lower KHEI score. The mean KHEI score was lower in male (vs. female) and lower (vs. higher) income groups. Conclusions Our data suggest that, from 2013 to 2022, there was a trend toward an unhealthy diet in Korean adults. Our findings also suggest dietary inequalities among age, sex, and income groups, suggesting the need for more intense interventions targeting the vulnerable populations.
ISSN:1226-3303
2005-6648