by National Research Council of Science and Technology

Kimchi, a traditional fermented Korean food. Credit: World Institute of Kimchi (WiKim)

Approximately 16% of the global population, or about 890 million people, suffer from obesity. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized obesity as a significant health issue and highlighted its impact on the quality of life and overall health of individuals across the world.

In response to this, the World Institute of Kimchi, South Korea, has been publishing a series of articles on the anti-obesity effects of kimchi in international journals. These articles, based on research studies on the subject, indicate that the regular consumption of kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented food, is effective in reducing body fat and may serve as a promising dietary strategy to combat obesity.

Recent investigations exploring the effects of kimchi on obesity have yielded compelling evidence supporting its efficacy. Notably, preclinical experiments in animal models of obesity revealed a substantial 31.8% reduction in body fat among those fed a kimchi diet).

Additionally, an extensive analysis of data collected over 13 years from the Korea Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES), a large population-based study, found that appropriate kimchi intake is associated with a 15% reduction in body mass index (BMI) and a 12% decrease in obesity incidence among middle-aged males).

Continuing this line of inquiry, a research study conducted by a team led by Dr. Sung-Wook Hong from the Kimchi Functionality Research Group at the World Institute of Kimchi, in collaboration with the Pusan National University Hospital, South Korea, focused on the anti-obesity effects of kimchi and its impact on gut microbiomes. The clinical trial on the anti-obesity effects of kimchi was published in the October 2024 issue of the Journal of Functional Foods.

Diagrammatic representation of the results of the clinical trial on the anti-obesity effects of kimchi. Credit: World Institute of Kimchi (WiKim)

This study investigated the changes in anthropometric measurements, blood biomarkers, and gut microbiomes of 55 overweight adults, comprising both males and females, with a BMI ranging from 23 to 30 kg/m². The participants consumed 3 kimchi capsules per meal (60g of kimchi per day) for 3 months. The kimchi capsules contained kimchi powder produced by freeze-drying cabbage kimchi fermented at 4℃ for 2 weeks.

The research team analyzed the changes in the body fat composition of the participants and found that the group that consumed kimchi showed a 2.6% decrease in body fat, but the control group that did not take the kimchi capsules exhibited a 4.7% increase in body fat, showing a statistically significant difference between the two groups.

Further, the analysis of the microbiomes of the participants revealed that kimchi consumption resulted in an increase in the abundance of the beneficial gut bacterium, Akkermansia muciniphila, and a reduction in the number of Proteobacteria, which are associated with obesity.

The successful completion of this clinical trial on the body fat-reducing effects of kimchi indicates that a steady consumption of kimchi is effective in alleviating obesity symptoms through the modulation of the gut microbiota.

Dr. Hae-Choon Chang, Director of the World Institute of Kimchi, said, "The results of a preclinical study and a clinical trial have systematically verified the anti-obesity effects of kimchi, and present scientific evidence that would help to make the excellent properties of kimchi widely known, thereby laying the foundation for the growth of kimchi as a health food well recognized around the world."

She also said, "We will continue to devote our time, effort, and resources towards scientific research to reinforce the health-functional properties of kimchi, in improving gastrointestinal health in addition to its immune-enhancing and anti-cancer effects, thus firmly establishing the role of kimchi as a global health food."

Meanwhile, in Korea, the country where kimchi originated, November 22 was officially designated as a national commemorative day for kimchi and named Kimchi Day in 2020. Kimchi is the first Korean food to be recognized in this manner for its unique health properties. Since then, Kimchi Festivals have been celebrated on Kimchi Day in the U.S., U.K., Argentina, and Brazil on November 22.

More information: Wooje Lee et al, Effects of kimchi consumption on body fat and intestinal microbiota in overweight participants: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center clinical trial, Journal of Functional Foods (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2024.106401

Journal information: Journal of Functional Foods 

Provided by National Research Council of Science and Technology