One in three South Koreans is now classified as obese, up from one in four a decade ago, according to a recent study by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The agency reported that 34.4 percent of Koreans were obese in 2024. The World Health Organization defines obesity in Asians as having a body mass index of 25 or higher.
In 2015, 26.3 percent of South Koreans were obese, meaning the rate had risen by 8.1 percentage points over the past decade.
By gender, 41.4 percent of men and 23 percent of women were obese in 2024. Among men, obesity was highest in their 30s (53.1 percent) and 40s (50.3 percent), during prime working years, while for women, higher rates were observed in their 60s (26.6 percent) and 70s (27.9 percent).
The KDCA notes that obesity is rising globally, becoming a serious public health issue in both developed and developing countries. According to OECD health statistics, South Korea (36.5 percent) remains below the OECD average (56.4 percent), but with the upward trend continuing, ongoing monitoring and targeted health policies are needed.