Eating Less for Health: 'Food-Reduction Society'... Wellness Trend Expands

"2027 Outlook for the Food and Restaurant Industry" Lecture
Seoul National University Professor Moon Jeonghun Forecasts Next Year's Trends
Analysis by Michelle Lee, Glico Director, and Others
"Managing Health Through Food... Wellness Is Affecting All Aspects of Life"

Amid the ongoing wellness trend, in which people seek foods that improve their health and quality of life, an analysis has found that society has entered what is known as a "less-eating society," where people are rapidly reducing the amount of food they consume. The shift is seen as reflecting changes in lifestyles and values, with consumers taking a proactive approach to health through food by adjusting the quantity and quality of what they eat and drink.

Moon Jeonghun, a professor at Seoul National University, speaks at the “2027 Outlook for the Food and Restaurant Industry” event at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 4th. Photo by Jeong Hyeonjin

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) held the "2027 Outlook for the Food and Restaurant Industry" at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on November 4. In the first session, Moon Jeonghun, a professor at Seoul National University's Food Business Lab, analyzed trends in the food and restaurant industries and presented "less-eating society" as the first keyword in his analysis of food trends for next year. He said a comparative analysis of the 20 most commonly consumed everyday meals among Koreans across different periods showed a significant decline in both the amount eaten and the frequency of consumption.

An analysis by the Food Business Lab using OpenSurvey food diary data found that the frequency of consuming plain rice, the most common everyday meal, fell 8.6% in the most recent year (June 2025 to May 2026) compared with the previous two years (June 2023 to May 2025). The annual number of times people ate plain rice dropped from 219 to 200. Consumption frequency also declined for most other foods, including soups and stews, ramen, and gimbap.

An analysis by time of day found that food consumption declined at every time of day, with demand for late-night snacks, particularly after 10 p.m., dropping sharply. By age group, both men and women in their 20s to 50s reduced their food consumption, with the exception of men in their 50s. "Amid the wellness food culture, people have cut back on everything from the number of meals they eat to the number of foods, beverages, and alcoholic drinks they consume," Professor Moon said. "The number of meals eaten per person has fallen by about 25 a year, equivalent to cutting two meals a month."

The trend is believed to reflect the spread of wellness trends that have been gaining traction for several years. Consumers who have shown interest in managing their carbohydrate and sugar intake are responding by reducing their food consumption overall. Professor Moon expects this phenomenon to continue next year.

Michelle Lee, Glico's Director of Marketing for Asia-Pacific, and Lee Seoyun, an insights team analyst at Mintel Korea, who spoke in the trends session at the event, also said that wellness trends are driving changes in consumers' diets and affecting their lives more broadly.

Lee said many consumers are seeking to take a proactive approach to their health by consuming protein, dietary fiber, and other nutrients to prevent illness over the medium to long term and invest in their health, rather than focusing on treating illness. She added that markets for products related to gut health, protein, dietary fiber, and diet supplements are growing rapidly.

Michelle Lee, Glico's Director of Marketing for Asia-Pacific, speaks at the "2027 Outlook for the Food and Restaurant Industry" at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 4th. Photo by Jung Hyunjin.

At the same time, she said, an emphasis on health does not mean giving up taste and enjoyment, noting that products such as low-sugar foods featuring local flavors and protein-enriched desserts are attracting attention. Lee said some consumers are pursuing a form of "Punk Wellness," such as eating greasy food while drinking tea that is good for their health, or taking melatonin to improve sleep quality while staying up late.

Analyst Lee also emphasized that growing interest in health and healthy aging is expanding the active lifestyle beyond exercise to encompass everyday areas such as nutrition, recovery, and sleep. As a result, food and beverages are beginning to play a role in everything from energy and hydration before, during, and after exercise to recovery and condition management, she said. She also noted a growing trend toward an integrated wellness approach combining food and beverages with skincare, as well as consumer interest in food and beverage products for self-care and mental health.

Experts also emphasized that, alongside wellness trends, consumers' desire to seek value and enjoyment through food is growing.

Lee said the rise of experiential consumption has shifted consumer behavior away from buying products themselves and toward purchasing the experiences and feelings those products provide. Addressing food and restaurant industry officials in attendance, she said, "Selling the product itself is merely selling a function," and advised them to "sell the emotion consumers will feel, not the product."

Professor Moon also cited the "spread of layered drinks and foods" as one of next year's food trends. "Drinks that people look at, taste, and share on social media are attracting interest. The act of drinking itself has become an experience," he said. "Desserts are evolving toward carefully designed layers. Stacking or filling them with a variety of textures, tastes, and flavors will bring major changes to the beverage and dessert markets."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.