- [English]
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The association between sodium index and the risk of obesity in Korean and Chinese university students: a cross-sectional study
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Linan Wang, Jin-Ah Seok, Yeon-Kyung Lee
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Korean J Community Nutr 2025;30(6):419-430. Published online December 31, 2025
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2025.00318
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 Abstract
 PDF Supplementary Material
- Objectives
Korea and China have the highest sodium intakes globally. The sodium index is a quantitative measure of the estimated sodium intake, calculated using a regression equation with proven validity and reliability in individuals aged 19–69 years. This study aimed to compare the sodium index of Korean and Chinese university students and analyze the association between the sodium index and the risk of obesity.
Methods
A total of 218 university students—110 Korean (63 males, 47 females) and 108 Chinese (60 males, 48 females)—participated in this study in 2019. Sodium-related awareness, nutritional knowledge, and sodium index were compared between Korean and Chinese students. Obesity indicators were compared according to three criteria for the sodium index of Korean and Chinese students: “moderate,” “careful,” and “severe. ” The association between sodium index levels and risk of obesity was analyzed using multiple logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and sex.
Results
Overall, 84% of students recognized that they consumed large amounts of sodium. Korean students demonstrated higher nutritional knowledge scores than Chinese students. The average estimated sodium intake was 3,751 mg, and no significant difference was observed between Korean (3,857 mg) and Chinese (3,643 mg) students. The overall average sodium index was 187, which falls under the “careful” level. As the sodium index levels increased, the students’ body mass index, waist-hip ratio (WHR), and fat-related indicators significantly increased. At the “severe” level of the sodium index, Korean and Chinese students had 2.402-fold and 1.636-fold increases in the risk of obesity based on body fat percentage, and 3.682-fold and 1.622-fold increases based on WHR, respectively.
Conclusion
This study demonstrated an association between sodium index and obesity risk, showing that excessive sodium intake affects body fat-related indicators in university students.
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