People work out at a gym in Seoul, Jan. 4, 2024. Yonhap
One out of three Koreans was obese as of 2024, data showed Sunday, with obesity rates among men in their 30s and 40s hovering above 50 percent.
According to data compiled by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the obesity rate among Koreans aged 19 or older came to 34.4 percent in 2024. The survey was conducted on 230,000 participants.
It marked a slight rise from 32.2 percent recorded in 2021, the agency said. The figure stood at 26.3 percent in 2015.
Korea defines individuals with a body mass index (BMI), a measure of body fat based on height and weight, of 25 or higher as obese.
