Jung Kook From BTS Adopts One Meal A Day Diet: Is Eating Once A Day Sustainable For High-Intensity Lifestyles?

The youngest member of the South-Korean music band named BTS, Jung Kook, has recently revealed his diet. The disclosure comes as their highly anticipated comeback is set for March 2026. In recent interviews, Jung Kook explained that he eats only once a day and follows an intense exercise routine. He is following the dietary regimen termed One Meal A Day (OMAD), where you get all your daily calories in a single meal. Jung Kook isn't the only celebrity who has tried the OMAD diet; Shah Rukh Khan, Channing Tatum, Bruce Springsteen and others have also previously been reported to follow this diet. Although this may seem interesting to follow, the real question lies in asking whether this type of diet is actually sustainable for high-intensity lifestyles in India. Given the rising influence of K-pop on Indian youth and the popularity of their lifestyle choices, the OMAD diet needs to be broken down into what it can actually do for your body and why you should be careful before blindly following a trendy diet.

What Is The OMAD Diet?

The OMAD, or one meal a day, diet is an extreme type of intermittent fasting diet that hopes to provide the necessary calories for the day in a single meal. The exact time for consuming the required calories in one hour and fasting for the remaining 23 hours of the day. According to the Korean Medical Association, the average amount of calories needed for a Korean man is 2,100-2,400 kcal/day depending on age and activity. For Indians, as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), it is 3,000 kcal/day for men with high-intensity lifestyles. So, tailoring the dietary approach matters based on gender and inidividual activity levels, alongside descent, environment and ability to stick to your dietary plan.

Perceived Health Benefits Of OMAD

This extreme dieting regimen is gaining popularity amongst celebrities due to its perceived health benefits. But the essential step to take is to take the science of nutrition into account. Here are the perceived health benefits that following an OMAD diet can provide:

• Weight loss is a possible outcome of sticking to this diet, as per Frontiers in Physiology, which examined lean individuals and showed modest weight loss, improved levels of fat metabolism, and better insulin sensitivity. But all of these benefits are tied to performing regular high-intensity exercise to aid in effective weight control. There is a need for medical supervision, as everybody has a different physiology, and the diet needs to be adjusted accordingly.
• Food discipline is a perceived benefit, as controlling your hunger requires strong willpower and consistent efforts.
• Reduced calorie intake, as snacking and overeating are out of the question when all calories are set to be ingested within an hour.

As per the Frontiers journal, a randomised controlled trial conducted in South Korea found that men on extreme dieting programmes such as OMAD achieved significant weight loss and improved metabolic markers like blood glucose and cholesterol. However, adherence was challenging, and long-term sustainability was questioned.

Note: This study also suggests that following an OMAD diet may help with weight control but could impair endurance and strength if not carefully managed. When thinking of long-term health, the approach to this diet needs to be questioned.

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Jung Kook's Lifestyle Context

When it comes to diet, specifically following a diet that could improve your body's condition for peak performance, it is important to take daily routine and past events into account. Due to these specific reasons, people need to rethink whether they are hoping to adopt the OMAD diet for themselves:

• He did military service for 18 months, which changed his habits when compared with civilians. The regimented approach to intense exercise took hold, which is a major determining factor on which the OMAD diet depends. Alongside, it demands discipline and persistence to stick to eating one meal a day.
• His OMAD is medically supervised, and people often lack this support, which can alter the results and effects on the body.

Why It Should Matter To Indians

The ICMR and NIN have established guidelines based on the Indian body type, which suggest that they need a balanced diet with multiple meals for maintaining adequate nutrition. And eating a poor diet is linked to 56% of diseases in India, emphasising the need for robust nutritional adherence. It is critical to remember that these dietary guidelines and the disease burden for Indians in no way resemble that of South Korea or South Koreans. So, even though the K-wave often puts pressure on Indians (especially young adults) to follow suit, adopting the OMAD diet should not be done based on whether Jung Kook does it or not. It should, instead, be done as per medical guidance within the Indian context, like every fad or healthy diet. This is also because OMAD, like most diets, has certain risk factors too.

Risks Of OMAD Diet

The OMAD diet requires a strategic approach with medical support and could lead to serious risks if followed as a trend; these risks could be:

• Developing nutrient deficiencies, specifically with iron, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals, as eating them all in one meal and effectively processing them seems challenging.
• There is an increased risk of gastric issues as the digestive system will get overwhelmed with eating only once a day, resulting in possible fatigue and overall poor immunity long-term.
• It is unsustainable for growing teenagers and young adults with high activity levels, as the body requires constant intake to maintain energy levels throughout the day.

Why Indians Should Be Wary

• Indian diets are diverse but often carb-heavy, and skipping meals can worsen the imbalance.
• OMAD may amplify existing health challenges like anaemia, diabetes, and obesity, so people with existing deficiencies or health conditions should stay away from this diet.
• Without consistent medical supervision, OMAD can be harmful, as the long-term side effects on health can lead to serious ailments.

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Sustainable Alternatives To The OMAD Diet

To scientifically approach your diet, you can alternate with these tips that can minimise your risk of suffering from side effects. These tips are as follows:

• Balanced plate model involving eating enough seasonal fruits, vegetables, proteins, and whole grains.
• Intermittent fasting (12-14 hours) is a safer option than the OMAD diet, but under medical guidance, and it doesn't work for all body types and lifestyles.

Note: Your diet should be personalised based on your lifestyle and health needs and not trends.

Jung Kook's OMAD diet may work for him, but it's not universally safe. So, Indians must rely on scientifically backed dietary guidelines rather than trendy diets. As you may end up harming your well-being instead of boosting it.

Disclaimer: This content, including advice, provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.