South Korean 20-somethings score lowest in dietary habits, skipping breakfast and lacking fruits and vegetables

Adults in their 20s in South Korea are exhibiting the poorest dietary habits among all age groups, with particularly low scores for breakfast consumption and the intake of essential food groups like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's (KDCA) report on the 9th National Health and Nutrition Survey (2022-2024) revealed that individuals in their 20s scored 50.3 out of 100 on the dietary index. This score is lower than other age groups, with those in their 30s scoring 52.8 and their 40s scoring 56.7. Conversely, individuals aged 70 and above had the highest scores, reaching 66.1.

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The 19-39 age group has been identified as the age group that needs the most dietary improvement.

The dietary index assesses adherence to healthy eating guidelines, evaluating 14 components including breakfast frequency, intake of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and moderation in sodium, saturated fat, and sugar consumption. The survey, which included 16,586 adults aged 19 and over, found that those in their 20s consistently scored lowest across most sub-categories. For instance, their scores for whole grain and total fruit intake were a mere 1.1 and 1.0, respectively, out of a possible 5 points.

Breakfast habits were also notably poor, with the 20s group scoring 3.9 out of 10, indicating they eat breakfast only slightly more than once or twice a week. In contrast, individuals aged 70 and above scored close to a perfect 9.5. The research team highlighted that young adults aged 19-39 require the most significant dietary improvements, suggesting that factors like time constraints, cost, and accessibility may contribute to their difficulties in consuming adequate fruits and vegetables. The overall average dietary score for adults remained largely unchanged from previous surveys, hovering around 58.6.

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Young adults may experience difficulties in consuming sufficient fruits and vegetables due to reasons such as lack of time, cost, and food accessibility, so it is necessary to prepare dietary improvement measures that consider these factors.