More Koreans now see money and social status as the strongest determinants of their health, overtaking previously dominant factors such as genetics and lifestyle habits, a new survey showed Sunday.
According to the 2025 Health Perception Report released by the Korea Health Promotion Institute, 33.3 percent of respondents said income and social status most influenced their health. That figure exceeded all answers, including access to workout facilities and parks at 14.8 percent, genetic factors at 12.8 percent, and personal lifestyle or coping skills at 11.5 percent.
The poll, conducted from Oct. 31 to Nov. 14 last year, surveyed 2,000 men and women aged 20 to 69 across the country. It marks a notable shift in Koreans’ perceptions, as genetics had previously topped the list in 2023 and 2024.
The perception that wealth matters most for health was consistent across generations. The portion of respondents choosing income and social status as the top factor was highest among those in their 40s and 50s at 36.4 percent, followed by seniors in their 60s at 32.6 percent and those in their 20s and 30s at 29.6 percent.
However, what ranked second varied by age group. Younger and middle-aged respondents selected access to physical environments such as gyms, parks and other facilities, while older participants prioritized personal lifestyle and coping behaviors.
When asked why maintaining a healthy lifestyle was difficult, 35.8 percent cited lack of willpower or laziness. Another 20.7 percent said they were too busy with work or daily life, while 8.8 percent pointed to frustration from not seeing significant improvement despite efforts.
Respondents’ desired life expectancy averaged 83.8 years, while “healthy life expectancy” — or living without major health problems — averaged 78.7 years.
Koreans said they considered 273,000 won per month to be an appropriate amount to invest in their health but reported spending only about half that, or 139,000 won, in reality. The area where most money was spent was diet and nutrition at 42.3 percent, followed by exercise at 28.8 percent and medical treatment at 16.1 percent.
Respondents also said they ideally wanted to spend 8 hours per week on health-related activities but actually dedicated an average of 5.3 hours, with most of that time going to exercise at 51.7 percent and meal planning at 31.3 percent.