Chronic diseases climb in Korea, but treatment outcomes improve: KDCA

The prevalence of chronic diseases among Koreans has increased, but treatment and control rates also improved last year, according to a government survey.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) released findings from the “2024 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey” on Tuesday, which tracks the prevalence of major chronic diseases and health behaviors across the population. Conducted under the National Health Promotion Act, the survey provides evidence for establishing and evaluating national health policies.

The 2024 survey covered about 10,000 individuals aged one year and older across 4,800 households in 192 regions. It also included special modules on elderly health, such as osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and functional ability, to prepare for Korea’s super-aged society.

Among adults aged 19 and older, male obesity prevalence reached 48.8 percent, up 3.2 percentage points from 2023, with nearly half of men in their 30s to 50s classified as obese. In contrast, the female obesity rate fell to 26.2 percent.

Prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia all rose compared to 2023. Hypertension affected 26.3 percent of men and 17.7 percent of women, while diabetes affected 13.3 percent of men and 7.8 percent of women. Hypercholesterolemia reached 23.4 percent for both sexes, marking increases across the board. Men in their 40s showed the steepest climb in both obesity and chronic disease prevalence.

Despite these trends, management indicators improved. From 2022 to 2024, awareness, treatment, and control rates for chronic diseases rose significantly compared to 2019–2021. Most exceeded 70 percent, except for hypercholesterolemia treatment (64.8 percent) and diabetes control (40.5 percent).

The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults aged 40 and older dropped to 10.6 percent in men and 3.6 percent in women in 2024, down sharply from 2019 levels.

In seniors 65 and older, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension increased among men but decreased among women, while hypercholesterolemia rose in both. Awareness and treatment rates improved across genders. Osteoporosis affected 31.6 percent of women and 3.8 percent of men, while sarcopenia affected roughly 9 percent of both. Those with osteoporosis or sarcopenia reported the greatest difficulty with “bending, squatting, or kneeling” and “walking up one flight of stairs.”

“While the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia has risen over the past decade, management indicators and health behaviors such as smoking rates have improved, representing a positive shift amid concerns about chronic disease,” KDCA Commissioner Lim Seung-kwan said.

Lim added, “For older men, high prevalence of hypertension is coupled with poor health behaviors such as smoking and drinking. Among women, three in 10 face osteoporosis. More proactive management is essential to improve quality of life in old age and prevent worsening disease.”

The KDCA said it will continue elderly health surveys and long-term follow-up studies to better understand disease progression and strengthen evidence-based prevention and management.