S. Koreans' daily energy intake drops 11 pct in 10 yrs

SEOUL, Nov. 8 (Yonhap) -- The average daily energy intake of South Koreans fell by around 11 percent in the past 10 years, with people eating more fat and consuming less carbohydrates in their diet, government data showed Sunday.

In 2024, South Korean men ate a daily average of 2,136 calories, while women consumed an average of 1,580 calories per day, a drop of 11.9 percent and 10.6 percent, respectively, compared with 2015, according to the data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The survey was conducted on Korean nationals aged over 1 year old.

Carbohydrates, such as rice and bread, accounted for 56.5 percent of men's diets in 2024, falling by 6.4 percentage points from 64.6 percent in 2015.

But fat, such as butter and oil, accounted for 26.7 percent of the daily caloric intake, up 5.4 percentage points from 21.3 percent recorded in 2015. The proportion of protein rose from 14.9 percent to 16.6 percent.

South Korean women showed a similar trend, with caloric intake from carbs down 7.1 percentage points to 56.5 percent. Fat accounted for 26.7 percent of their daily energy intake, up from 21.3 percent. Protein accounted for 15.8 percent, up from 14.1 percent 10 years ago.

The proportion of people who consume less calories than the recommended amount has also grown over the cited period. The government classifies people who eat less than 75 percent of the recommended caloric intake as "undereaters."

The number of energy-deficient individuals among men grew from 23.2 percent in 2015 to 34.6 percent in 2024. The ratio was also up from 32.4 percent to 39.7 percent in 2024, for women, according to the data from the KDCA.