18% of Koreans Suffer from Nutritional Deficiency... 'Women in Their 20s and Men in Their Teens' Most Affected

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Announces 2023 National Health and Nutrition Survey Results
Proportion of People with Insufficient Nutrient Intake Increased 2.1 Times Over 10 Years

The proportion of Koreans with insufficient nutrient intake has increased 2.1 times over the past decade.

On the 28th, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced through the '2023 National Health Statistics' that the proportion of people aged 1 and older with insufficient nutrient intake was 17.9% according to the 2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey is an annual health statistics survey conducted on about 10,000 people nationwide. The food intake survey is conducted by recording the types and amounts of food consumed during one day, two days prior to the survey.

Individuals with insufficient nutrient intake are defined as those whose ▲energy intake is less than 75% of the estimated requirement according to the 'Korean Dietary Reference Intakes' ▲and whose intake of calcium, iron, vitamin A, and riboflavin are all below the average requirement.

According to surveys from 2014 to 2023, the proportion of people with insufficient nutrient intake increased gradually from 8.4% in 2014 to about 2.1 times higher over 10 years. In particular, as of 2023, 23.5% of males in their teens and 25.6% of females in their twenties were found to have insufficient nutrient intake, meaning about one in four people in these groups.

By income level, the proportion of those with insufficient nutrient intake was higher in the 'low' group at 21.0% compared to 14.6% in the 'high' group.

By nutrient, the proportion of people with insufficient energy intake increased from 28.5% in 2014 to 36.8% in 2023. In fact, the average daily energy intake of people aged 1 and older decreased by nearly 200 kcal, from 2067.6 kcal in 2014 to 1862.1 kcal in 2023.

The estimated energy requirement varies by sex and age. For people in their twenties, the requirement is 2600 kcal for males and 2000 kcal for females.

The proportions of people with insufficient calcium and vitamin A intake were high at 71.0% and 72.4%, respectively, as of 2023. Iron deficiency was found in 56.4%, and riboflavin deficiency in 27.9%.