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Objectives: To describe the nutritional challenges faced by Korean middle‑aged adults (40–64 years) from a life‑course and biological transition perspective and to propose systems‑based precision nutrition strategies for this critical stage of the lifespan.Methods: In this narrative review, PubMed, Medline, and Web of Science were searched for articles published between January 2010 and November 2025 using terms such as “middle aged nutrition,” “healthy aging,” “life course nutrition,” “sarcopenia,” “precision nutrition,” and “chronic diseases.” Policy documents and major national cohort and intervention studies were also reviewed.Results: Middle-aged adults in Korea have a high prevalence of chronic disease beginning in their 40s, showing “the triple burden of malnutrition:” obesity, insufficient micronutrients, and sarcopenia onset, along with excessive sodium and sugar consumption combined with socioeconomic factors like living alone. Nutrient and dietary approaches, such as high protein (1.2–1.5 g/kg/d), leucine, dairy products and fruits, anti-inflammatory foods intake, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) or Mediterranean diets plus lifestyle modification at public health centers (Korean Diabetes Prevention Study) for cardiometabolic risks, Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diet for cognition maintenance, could greatly impact health trajectories.Conclusion: Korean middle‑aged adults experience a triple burden of malnutrition on top of nonlinear biological aging shifts, which together accelerate cardiometabolic, musculoskeletal, and cognitive risks. Implementing targeted dietary strategies within a systems‑based, community-linked precision nutrition model is essential to reshape health trajectories and promote healthy longevity in this population.
Yoo Kyoung Park (Tue,) studied this question.