Korea’s Sodium Intake Remains High, Undermining Public Health Goals (Image supported by ChatGPT)
SEOUL, July 2 (Korea Bizwire) — South Koreans continue to consume far more sodium than global health guidelines recommend, despite a decade-long decline, according to a new report from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
An analysis of national health and nutrition survey data from 2019 to 2023 revealed that the average Korean consumes 3,136 milligrams of sodium per day, which is 1.6 times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended limit of 2,000mg.
The figure reflects a 34.5% decrease from 2011 levels — when sodium intake peaked at 4,789mg — and a 4.7% drop from 2019. Still, the daily intake remains well above safe levels.
Salt. (Image courtesy of Getty Image Bank)
Over half of daily sodium intake comes from traditional staples like noodles, dumplings, kimchi, soups, stews, and stir-fried dishes, according to the report.
Men (3,696mg) consumed significantly more sodium than women (2,576mg), with the 30s and 40s age groups recording the highest intake.
In contrast, sugar consumption has remained stable over the past five years.
The average daily sugar intake was 35.5 grams in 2023, making up 7.7% of total caloric intake, which falls within the WHO’s recommended range of below 10%.
However, concern remains for young women and girls, who exceeded safe sugar levels. In 2023, females across child, teen, and young adult groups consumed between 42.1 and 46.6 grams of sugar daily, surpassing 10% of total energy intake. The increase was linked to high consumption of sodas, sweetened breads, fruit and vegetable drinks, and ice cream.
The ministry urged the public to adopt lower-sodium cooking methods and check nutrition labels carefully when purchasing processed foods, especially to select items with lower sugar content.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
