Over the past four years, both alcohol consumption rates and feelings of depression among Seoul residents have been on the rise.

Soju is displayed on the liquor shelf at a large supermarket in downtown Seoul.

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According to the recently published report "Health Status of Seoul Citizens and the Need for Gender-Sensitive Health Policies" by the Seoul Foundation of Women & Family on October 6, the alcohol consumption rate among women in Seoul increased by 5.3 percentage points from 40.3% in 2020 to 45.6% in 2024. For men, the rate rose from 66.5% to 67.7% over the same period, showing a smaller increase than women but remaining at a higher level overall. The alcohol consumption rate refers to the proportion of people who have consumed alcohol at least once a month in the past year.

The proportion of people engaging in what is considered "risky drinking" has also increased. Among high-risk drinkers, the rate for women rose from 7.1% in 2020 to 8.2% in 2024, while for men, it increased from 18.0% to 19.6% during the same period. This means that one out of every five men drinks to a degree that could harm their health.

The rate of experiencing feelings of depression also showed an upward trend for both women and men. For women, it rose from 6.4% in 2018 to 8.8% in 2024, while for men, it nearly doubled from 3.6% to 6.0% over six years.

Cigarettes displayed at a large supermarket in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

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When it comes to smoking rates, women saw a slight increase from 3.0% in 2020 to 3.9% in 2024. Although this remains significantly lower than the rate for men, it contrasts with the decrease in the male smoking rate, which fell from 28.9% to 26.6% over the same period. The smoking rate refers to the proportion of people who have smoked at least five packs in their lifetime and are currently smoking.

This report was based on an analysis of Seoul respondents (about 20,000 annually) from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's "Community Health Survey" results and raw data. The report emphasized the need for health risk management that takes gender differences into account, stating, "For women, it is important to establish stress management programs and early intervention systems for depression, while for men, measures should be developed to raise awareness of health risks such as smoking and drinking."

Meanwhile, the increase in physical activity rates is a positive sign. For women, the rate of engaging in moderate or higher intensity physical activity rose from 13.8% in 2020 to 20.3% in 2024, while for men, it increased from 23.1% to 30.4%. During the same period, the rate of walking also rose from 49.9% to 67.2% for women and from 56.7% to 68.1% for men. However, the obesity rate among men was 40.0%, nearly double that of women at 21.0%.