Regional disparities in healthy eating and nutritional status in South Korea: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Concerns about regional disparities in heathy eating and nutritional status among South Korean adults are increasing. This study aims to identify the magnitude of regional disparities in diet and nutritional status among Korean adults who completed the 2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). SUBJECTS/METHODS: The participants were a nationally representative sample of Korean adults aged 19 years and older from the 2017 KNHANES (n = 6,126). We employed the svy commands in STATA to accommodate the complex survey design. The relative concentration index (RCI), absolute concentration index (ACI) and index of disparity were used to measure regional nutritional inequalities. RESULTS: Overweight and obese adults were more prevalent among the poor than among the rich in urban areas (RCI = −0.041; P < 0.05), while overweight and obese adults were more prevalent among the rich than among the poor in rural areas of South Korea (RCI = 0.084; P < 0.05). Economic inequality in fruit and vegetable intake ≥ 500 g per day was greater in rural areas than in urban areas in both relative size (RCI = 0.228 vs. 0.091, difference in equality = 0.137; P < 0.05) and absolute size (ACI = 0.055 vs. 0.023, difference in equality = 0.032; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides useful information identifying opposite directions in the relative concentration curves between urban and rural areas. Adult overweight/obesity was more prevalent among the poor in urban areas, while adult overweight/obesity was more prevalent among the rich in rural areas. Public health nutrition systems should be implemented to identify nutritional inequalities that should be targeted across regions in South Korea.

Regional disparities related to cardiovascular diseases and diet quality in Korean adults: based on the 2013–2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data

“…This is because the low level of physical exercise undertaken by the socioeconomically disadvantaged class acts as a risk factor for metabolic syndrome [ 40 ]. This was confirmed in a study by Lee and Sa [ 41 ]. The rates of overweight and obesity were higher in the less wealthy groups than in the wealthy groups in cities.…”

The nutrition transition, food retail transformations, and policy responses to overnutrition in the East Asia region: A descriptive review

“…The changes include dietary shifts, characterized by an increased demand for energy‐dense, convenience foods, and other typically “western” products 12,36,37,43,51 . Indeed, in East Asia those who live in an urban area are more likely to consume an unhealthy diet (and subsequently be overweight or obese), than those living in a rural area 150–153 . Urbanization is also accompanied by empowerment of women to enter the work force, further driving up demand for convenience foods 12,36,51 and highlighting the urgent need for the production and supply of healthier convenience foods, rather than the ultra‐processed and energy dense convenience products which are currently more frequently available.…”

Obesity Fact Sheet in Korea, 2020: Prevalence of Obesity by Obesity Class from 2009 to 2018

“… 19 , 20 The 2020 Obesity Fact Sheet has reported regional differences in the prevalence of obesity in Korea. There are increasing concerns regarding regional disparities in heathy diet and nutritional status among South Korean adults 21 and this seems to be one of the factors affecting regional disparities in obesity prevalence in South Korea. One study reported that residents in rural areas had higher odds of an unhealthy diet such as excessive carbohydrates, low fruit, and high salted-vegetable intake compared to those in metropolitan areas.…”