[Rice vs Meat] Western-style Diet and Food Diversification... "Even Changed the Industrial Map"

Rice 'Neglected' Due to Meat-Centered Diet and Food Diversification
Meal Patterns Shift Toward Processed Foods and Eating Out
'Low-Carb High-Fat' Trend and Increased Breakfast Skipping
Experts Say "Rice Consumption Decline Continues... Need to Find Diverse Uses"

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The decline in rice consumption is interpreted to be significantly influenced not only by the generalization of alternative foods such as wheat and meat but also by changes in household structures.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 24th, the proportion of single-person households, which was only 15.5% of all households in the 2000s, increased to 23.9% in 2010 and 31.7% in 2020. Among household expenditures on groceries, spending on processed food purchases rose by more than 94%, from 112,000 won in 2010 to 218,000 won last year. During the same period, dining-out expenses also jumped by more than 30%, from 249,000 won to 324,000 won. This is analyzed to be influenced by changes in eating patterns along with continuous price increases.

With the overlapping effects of COVID-19 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine causing rises in grain/raw material and logistics costs, this trend is expected to continue. Last month, the consumer price index rose 6.0% year-on-year, influenced by increases in international raw material and grain prices. In the same month, the average price of eight representative dining-out items such as Jajangmyeon, Gimbap, and Samgyeopsal also rose by more than 5% compared to the same period last year.

As eating habits shifted toward processed foods and dining out, home meals decreased, and the culture of setting a full table changed. Since the 2000s, interest in health management has increased, and carbohydrates including rice have been pointed out as causes of obesity, with diets such as low-carb high-fat (LCHF) becoming popular.

The increase in skipping breakfast, especially among younger generations, also plays a role. According to the "Status of Our Nation's Dietary Habits," which analyzed the results of the National Health and Nutrition Survey by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency in 2019 and 2020, the breakfast skipping rate surged from 31.3% in 2019 to 34.6% in 2020. Among major food groups, daily intake of vegetables (252.6g→244.6g), fruits (135.0g→120.8g), and grains (272.4g→269.7g) all decreased, while meat intake (124.0g→124.8g) increased. In the past, rice consumption was overwhelmingly higher than meat.

In 1970, annual rice consumption per person was 136 kg, 26 times the 5.2 kg of meat consumption. Meat was scarce because the number of livestock such as cattle, pigs, and chickens raised for meat was not large, but as agricultural technology developed and production gradually increased, rice enjoyed its heyday. However, over the years, this trend reversed. Meat consumption first exceeded 10 kg in 1980 at 11.3 kg, then increased annually to 14.4 kg in 1985, 19.9 kg in 1990, and 27.4 kg in 1995. Conversely, rice consumption decreased during this period from 132.4 kg to 128.1 kg, then 119.6 kg, and 106.5 kg. Entering the 2000s, meat consumption reached the 30 kg range at 32.9 kg, while rice dropped to two digits at 93.6 kg. About 20 years later, the leading digits are the same, and meat consumption is poised to surpass rice soon.

Experts predict that rice consumption will fall below 50 kg within a few years. The downward trend in rice prices is also continuing. In May, the average price of rice in production areas nationwide was 46,741 won for 20 kg, down 16.3% from 55,861 won during the same period last year. As rice stocks accumulate across the country, prices are falling.

Experts expect this trend to accelerate further. Professor Lee Young-eun of the Department of Food and Nutrition at Wonkwang University said, "The trend of decreasing rice consumption and increasing meat consumption is expected to continue, and especially among younger age groups, meat intake is excessive, while the elderly who need to consume protein fall short of the standard." He added, "It will not be easy to change the overall trend, but the current eating habits are not considered nutritionally balanced." Professor Kim Yong-hwi of the Department of Food and Biotechnology at Sejong University also advised, "Especially with the influx of alternative meats, efforts such as developing menus that utilize these diversely are necessary for rice consumption to recover from the existing food intake patterns."