A recent research published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Ageing made a detailed evaluation of ramen noodle intake in 6,500 adults from Japan’s Yamagata prefecture. The study focused on exploring possible links between frequent ramen consumption and health results, mainly mortality.

Study Design

Participants were classified into four categories in regard to their ramen-eating frequency:

• Less than once a month
  
• One to three times a month
  
• Once or twice a week
  
• Three or more times a week
  

The participants were followed for almost 4.5 years, with deaths traced via official records. Most people eat ramen at least once a month, and almost one in three eat it weekly.

In the follow-up period, 145 participants died,100 from cancer and 29 due heart disease.

Key Findings

The study indicates that frequent ramen consumption may be linked with elevated death risk, mainly for men under 70 years. Researchers highlighted that the findings are observational and do not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

Those who consumed at least half of the soup, which usually has high levels of salt, and ate ramen often had an elevated death risk, the study cited.

Participants who consumed both alcohol and ate ramen more than three times a week experienced about three times elevated risk of death when compared to those who consume ramen moderately.

“Ramen noodles and their soup contain high salt content; therefore, frequent intake can lead to high amounts of sodium, which may increase the risk of salt-related diseases, such as stroke and gastric cancer,” researchers mentioned.

The research also discovered that frequent ramen eaters were more likely to be men, younger, overweight, smokers, alcohol consumers, and more prone to diabetes or high blood pressure.

“This study showed that Japanese community residents frequently consume ramen noodles and high intake is associated with various comorbidities,” scientists wrote.
“Frequent intake of ramen noodles might be associated with mortality risk in men, aged less than 70 years and those who consumed over 50 per cent of the noodle soup and alcohol,” they mentioned in the study.

Recommendations

Researchers advise limiting ramen consumption to occasional meals, restricting drinking most of the soup, and giving extra caution if blending ramen with alcohol. These measures can help minimize possible health risks linked with high sodium intake and other lifestyle elements.


Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as a substitute for medical advice.

FAQs:

Q1. What did the study investigate?
The study evaluated the relationship between frequent ramen noodle consumption and health results in Japanese adults. It followed participants for almost 4.5 years.

Q2. Who was included in the research?
The research traced 6,500 adults from Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Participants were classified based on how often they consume ramen.