Seoul National University Hospital Research Team Analyzes 1,144 Adults
"Healthy Eating Habits Reduce Medical Expenses by 9%"
A recent study has found that maintaining a healthy diet can actually reduce medical expenses. Specifically, people who regularly eat healthily spend about 9% less on medical costs compared to those who do not. This research goes beyond common sense, providing numerical evidence for the correlation between dietary habits and actual medical expenditures based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
This is an interior photo of a hospital in Seoul and is unrelated to the article content. Photo by Jo Yongjun
According to Yonhap News on July 22, a research team led by Professor Park Minseon from the Department of Family Medicine at Seoul National University Hospital surveyed the dietary habits and annual medical expenses of 1,144 adults from 2016 to 2021. The results showed that individuals who maintained healthy eating habits spent approximately 9% less on medical expenses than those who did not.
The research team divided participants into four quartile groups based on their "Diet Quality Index" and analyzed the annual medical expenses of each group. Factors that could affect costs, such as gender, age, income, and the presence of chronic diseases, were excluded from the analysis to focus on the correlation.
The Diet Quality Index is a tool that quantitatively measures the overall quality of a person's diet, evaluating dietary habits across 14 categories for a maximum score of 100 points.
The more fruits and vegetables consumed, the higher the score. Eating more white meat than red meat and choosing brown rice over white rice also increase the score. On the other hand, lower consumption of sodium, alcoholic beverages, and carbonated drinks results in higher scores.
The more fruits and vegetables consumed, the higher the score. Eating more white meat than red meat and choosing brown rice over white rice also increase the score. On the other hand, lower consumption of sodium, alcoholic beverages, and carbonated drinks results in higher scores. Getty Images
The analysis found that the group with the highest diet quality index had total medical expenses that were on average 8.6% lower than the group with the lowest index. Outpatient care costs were reduced by 12.1%, and inpatient care costs by 8%. This trend was especially pronounced among younger adults.
When participants were divided based on the median age of 57 and tracked, younger adults were able to reduce their medical expenses by 11.5% through healthy dietary habits. The research team suggested that, for older adults, the cost-saving effect may have been diluted due to accumulated nutritional imbalances or sudden health issues such as falls or infections.
Professor Park Minseon told the media, "We confirmed that healthier eating habits are associated with lower overall medical expenses, and this correlation was particularly strong among younger adults. Younger age groups are more likely to be exposed to unhealthy dietary habits, such as consuming processed foods or having irregular meals, which appears to strengthen the link between diet and medical costs."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
