Sugar intake from processed foods among Koreans and levy on excessive sugar use: a cross-sectional study

Although reduced mean sugar intakes have been reported recently, proportion changes in the Korean population with a sugar intake higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) sugar intake recommendation (WSIR) remain unknown. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the sugar intake of Koreans to identify trends and prioritize target groups for relevant policy interventions.

We used dietary intake data from the 8th and 9th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES VIII and IX) to derive sugar intake from processed foods (SIPF) in the Korean population. We classified, aggregated and calculated sugar intake from individual foods at the tertiary-level food codes, and assessed SIPF adequacy based on whether it met the WSIR of less than 10% of the total energy intake.

The proportion of the Korean population with an SIPF exceeding the WSIR was 22.7% and 22.4% in KNHANES VIII and IX, respectively. Nevertheless, more than one-third of children, adolescents, and young adults (34.6%-39.1%) showed SIPF higher than the WSIR with the highest proportion of 41.4% registered among school-age girls in KNHANES IX.

While the mean sugar intake of Koreans has decreased slightly since 2019, the proportion of people with SIPF exceeding WSIR is on the rise in school-age children, adolescents, and young adults, implying the necessity of proactive policy responses. As the Korean government discusses fiscal policy design and implementation to moderate the sugar intake of the population in order to promote public health and prevent chronic diseases, it should bear in mind the point emphasized in the WHO guideline as follows: "Changes in health-related outcomes as a result of a fiscal policy are likely to occur in the long term and should therefore be evaluated over a longer term than outcomes such as purchasing and consumption of foods and beverages."