Lee Hyeseung, Yim Yesol, Cho Yerin, Oh Jiyeon, Kim Soeun, Son Yejun, Jo Hyesu, Hong Seohyun, Rahmati Masoud, Cho Hanseul, Hwang Jiyoung, Yon Dong Keon
Department of Medicine, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Center for Digital Health, Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, 23 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02447, South Korea.
Sci Rep. 2025 Feb 3;15(1):4131. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-88489-0.
Ultra-processed foods are linked to adverse health outcomes, making it crucial to monitor consumption trends. Despite rising consumption due to Westernized diets in Asia, long-term studies targeting Asian adults are lacking. Thus, we analyzed ultra-processed food consumption trends among Korean adults from 1998 to 2022. Additionally, we compared intakes before and during the pandemic to evaluate the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, we compared the nutrient profiles of ultra-processed and non-ultra-processed food group intakes. This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 1998 to 2022, classifying food into four NOVA groups. Dietary intake was assessed In 2020-2022, ultra-processed foods had a higher proportion using a single 24-hour recall for 96,447 individuals aged 20 years or older. Sampling weights were applied to adjust for the complex survey design and non-responses. We calculated the weighted means and confidence intervals for the proportion of energy intake by NOVA food groups and various nutrient profiles. The proportion of energy intake from ultra-processed foods among Korean adults steadily increased from 17.41% in 1998-2005 to 26.71% in 2016-2019 (mean difference: 9.30% [95% CI, 8.62-9.98%]), but declined for the first time during the pandemic, falling to 25.33% (mean difference: -1.39% [95% CI, -2.18% to -0.59%]). In 2020-2022, ultra-processed foods had a higher proportion of calories from carbohydrates (62.12% vs. 58.81%) and fats (28.22% vs. 22.31%) but a lower proportion from protein (10.32% vs. 17.26%) compared to non-ultra-processed foods. From 1998 to 2022, the fat content of both ultra-processed and non-ultra-processed foods significantly increased, rising from 26.24 to 28.15% for ultra-processed foods (mean difference: 1.91% [95% CI, 1.33-2.49%]) and from 16.81 to 22.26% for non-ultra-processed foods (mean difference: 5.45% [95% CI, 4.99-5.91%]). This study examined 25-year trends in ultra-processed food consumption among South Koreans, showing a consistent increase in energy intake from ultra-processed foods until the COVID-19 pandemic, during which it declined for the first time. However, this decline may be temporary, underscoring the need for sustained efforts to reduce ultra-processed food consumption.
超加工食品与不良健康后果相关，因此监测其消费趋势至关重要。尽管由于亚洲饮食习惯的西化，超加工食品的消费量在上升，但针对亚洲成年人的长期研究却很缺乏。因此，我们分析了1998年至2022年韩国成年人超加工食品的消费趋势。此外，我们比较了疫情前和疫情期间的摄入量，以评估新冠疫情的潜在影响。此外，我们还比较了超加工食品组和非超加工食品组摄入量的营养成分。本研究使用了1998年至2022年韩国国家健康与营养检查调查（KNHANES）的数据，将食物分为四个NOVA组。通过对96447名20岁及以上个体进行单次24小时回忆法评估饮食摄入量。采用抽样权重来调整复杂的调查设计和无应答情况。我们计算了按NOVA食物组和各种营养成分划分的能量摄入比例的加权均值和置信区间。韩国成年人中超加工食品的能量摄入比例从1998 - 2005年的17.41%稳步上升至2016 - 2019年的26.71%（平均差异：9.30% [95% CI，8.62 - 9.98%]），但在疫情期间首次下降，降至25.33%（平均差异：-1.39% [95% CI，-2.18%至-0.59%]）。在2020 - 2022年，与非超加工食品相比，超加工食品中来自碳水化合物的热量比例更高（62.12%对58.81%）和脂肪比例更高（28.22%对22.31%），但来自蛋白质的比例更低（10.32%对17.26%）。从1998年到2022年，超加工食品和非超加工食品的脂肪含量均显著增加，超加工食品从26.24%升至28.15%（平均差异：1.91% [95% CI，1.33 - 2.49%]），非超加工食品从16.81%升至22.26%（平均差异：5.45% [95% CI，4.99 - 5.91%]）。本研究考察了韩国人25年来超加工食品消费趋势，表明在新冠疫情之前，超加工食品的能量摄入持续增加，疫情期间首次下降。然而，这种下降可能是暂时的，这凸显了持续努力减少超加工食品消费的必要性。
