According to the Hypertension Fact Sheet 2024 released by the Korean Society of Hypertension on the 5th, an estimated 13 million adults aged 20 and older in Korea have hypertension. The prevalence rate is 30.1%, or roughly three in every 10 adults. That includes 7.2 million men and 5.8 million women, with those aged 65 and older also numbering 5.8 million.
Among those with hypertension, 77% are aware of their condition and 74% are being treated, but only 59% have their blood pressure under control at target levels — meaning nearly half of those receiving treatment are not managing their blood pressure properly.
Excessive sodium intake is cited as the key cause of hypertension. According to a Ministry of Food and Drug Safety analysis of the past five years (2019-2023), Koreans consumed an average of 3,136 mg of sodium per day in 2023, or 1.6 times the World Health Organization's recommended level of 2,000 mg.
That marks a 34.5% decline from the 4,789 mg recorded in 2011, before reduction policies took effect, but remains far above the standard. Men consumed an average of 3,696 mg of sodium per day, about 1.4 times more than women (2,576 mg), and people in their 30s and 40s consumed the most.
Korea's broth culture is the main culprit behind the sodium excess. Koreans get more than 50% of their daily sodium from noodles and dumplings, kimchi, soups, stir-fried dishes and stews. On a daily basis, the breakdown was 481 mg from noodles (including instant ramen) and dumplings, 438 mg from kimchi, 330 mg from soups, 227 mg from stir-fried dishes and 217 mg from stews.
A single cup of instant noodles contains an average of 1,700 to 1,800 mg of sodium, meaning that finishing the broth exceeds the WHO's daily recommendation in one meal. Jjamppong, a spicy seafood noodle soup, can reach 4,000 mg depending on how it is prepared. Sodium intake per meal at restaurants was 1,522 mg, higher than the 1,031 mg for home-cooked meals.
The most practical way to cut sodium is to leave the broth behind. Experts advise that if changing one's whole diet at once is difficult, start by leaving half the broth. Leaving just half can cut hundreds of milligrams of sodium.
Boiling noodles separately and transferring them to another bowl, or not mixing rice into broth, are also effective. Using chopsticks instead of a spoon when eating broth naturally reduces intake. When eating out, choosing grilled dishes over soups and dipping sauces rather than pouring them can lower sodium intake.
Excessive sodium intake increases blood volume, raising pressure against blood vessel walls and leading to hypertension. Sustained hypertension raises the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke, and can overload the kidneys, worsening into chronic kidney disease.
Experts said a palate accustomed to salty flavors can gradually be reset by maintaining a low-sodium diet for about two to four weeks. The small choice of leaving half the ramen broth today can be the starting point for blood pressure management.
