[News Issue] How About Kimchi Instead of Wegovy? "2.6% Body Fat Reduction"

The clinical trial results showing that 'Kimchi,' a traditional Korean fermented food, is effective in reducing body fat have been published in an international academic journal.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified 'obesity' as a 'disease,' recognizing its significant impact not only on life but also on quality of life. Approximately 16% of the global population (890 million people) suffer from obesity.

The World Institute of Kimchi, a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, announced on the 22nd that it has completed scientific verification of Kimchi's anti-obesity effects, from 'preclinical trials' including cell and animal experiments to nutritional epidemiological analysis based on large-scale cohort data, and recently clinical trials on humans.

Dr. Hong Seong-wook's research team from the Kimchi Functionality Research Division at the World Institute of Kimchi collaborated with Professor Shin Myung-jun's team at Pusan National University Hospital to investigate changes in anthropometry, blood biomarkers, and the human microbiome in 55 overweight and obese adult men and women with a body mass index (BMI) of 23?30 kg/m2.

The clinical trial participants consumed capsules made from freeze-dried Kimchi powder, prepared by fermenting Napa cabbage Kimchi at 4°C for 2 weeks, taking 3 capsules per meal (equivalent to 60g of Kimchi per day) for 3 months. Analysis of changes in body fat mass showed a 2.6% decrease in the group consuming Kimchi, whereas the group not consuming Kimchi showed a 4.7% increase, demonstrating a statistically significant difference.

The research team explained, "Analysis of the human microbiome of the clinical trial participants showed an increase in Akkermansia muciniphila, a beneficial gut bacterium, after Kimchi consumption, while the population of Proteobacteria associated with obesity decreased." Akkermansia muciniphila, a bacterium residing in the intestinal mucosa, is a beneficial symbiotic microorganism in the gut known to secrete short-chain fatty acids that reduce inflammation and improve metabolic syndrome and obesity.

The research team successfully completed the human application trial for Kimchi's body fat reduction and concluded that consistent Kimchi consumption effectively modulates the gut microbiota to alleviate obesity symptoms.

Over the past three years (2022?2024), the World Institute of Kimchi has systematically verified Kimchi's anti-obesity effects, starting with basic research on anti-obesity activity through cell experiments, confirming a 31.8% reduction in body fat using an obesity-induced animal model, and revealing the mechanism of action for obesity improvement for the first time worldwide. Additionally, analysis of 13 years of dietary surveys and physical measurement data from the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study, a large-scale cohort, showed that consuming Kimchi 2?3 times daily (50g per serving) reduces BMI by about 15%, and in middle-aged men, consuming Kimchi 1?3 times daily lowers the incidence of obesity by approximately 12%.

The research team stated, "To secure reliable research results on Kimchi's health functionality, clinical trials on humans, which can interpret complex human responses that cannot be predicted by animal experiments and are widely recognized, are essential. Until now, research verifying Kimchi's anti-obesity effects has been conducted through cell and animal experiments and nutritional epidemiological analysis, but this is the first time the effect has been demonstrated through human application trials."