The average Korean consumes 1.28 kg of food a day, of which 80 percent is vegetable and 20 percent animal. According to figures released Sunday by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention based on a 2007 survey of Koreans' health, the average Korean consumes 1,027 g of vegetables and fruit and 256 g of meat and dairy products.

The proportion of meat and dairy products has increased about six times from 3 percent in 1969. Infants whose main food is milk or baby formula naturally had the highest proportion of animal food intake at 38.5 percent. The proportion among those aged 65 or over was a mere 11.1 percent. Men consumed more animal food at 21.8 percent than women with 19.3 percent. Men's meat intake at 121.5 g was almost twice as much as women's 65.9 g.

In terms of daily consumption, vegetables accounted for 287.5 g of food intake, followed by cereals (283 g), fruit (175.7 g), beverages (153.1 g), meat (88.6 g), and dairy products (88.6 g).

Koreans eat salty food regardless of their income or age, taking in over three times the recommended daily amount of sodium (2,000 mg), while the calcium intake by adolescents between 12 and 18 and elderly people aged 65 or over was less than half the daily recommended amount of 700-900 mg.

The nationwide health survey was conducted among 4,091 people between July 2007 and January 2008.