Healthy Eating Can Cut Medical Costs by 9% — Especially for Young Adults

 Healthy Diet Linked to Lower Medical Expenses — Korean Study Reveals

A new study from Seoul National University Hospital shows that a healthy diet can significantly reduce annual healthcare costs, especially among younger adults.

The research team, led by Professor Park Min-Sun, analyzed data from 1,144 Korean adults collected between 2016 and 2021 as part of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They examined participants' dietary habits and annual medical spending.

To measure diet quality, researchers used the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) — a score based on 14 dietary components, with higher scores reflecting healthier eating patterns. The index rewards:

High intake of fruits and vegetables

Choosing white meat and fish over red meat

Preferring brown rice and whole grains over white rice

On the other hand, frequent consumption of processed foods, sugary drinks, and high-sodium products lowers the score.

Key Findings:

Participants with the highest dietary scores spent 8.6% less on healthcare annually.

Outpatient costs dropped by 12.1%, while hospitalization expenses decreased by 8%.

The cost-saving effect was even stronger among adults under 57 years old, reaching 11.5% lower medical costs.

The study controlled for factors like age, income, chronic diseases, and other potential influencers, isolating the impact of dietary habits alone.

However, for older adults, the effect was less pronounced — likely due to cumulative health risks and sudden medical events such as infections or falls.

“Maintaining a healthy diet clearly helps reduce overall medical expenses,” said Professor Park. “For younger generations, who are more prone to irregular meals and processed foods, improving eating habits could directly impact healthcare savings.”

The research was published in the international journal Nutrients.

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