Frequent ramen eaters in Japan may face higher risk of death: study
According to the researchers, the lowest mortality risk was among those consuming ramen once or twice a week
The joint study, conducted by universities in northeastern Yamagata prefecture, home to some of the nation’s highest ramen consumption, found that frequent ramen eaters faced about 1.5 times the risk of death compared with those enjoying it just once or twice a week.
The researchers stressed, however, that the findings were not statistically strong enough to declare ramen a clear danger, noting that more work is needed to confirm the link between heavy noodle habits and health outcomes.
The picture got even murkier when the team found a slightly higher death risk among people who ate ramen less than once a month. At first glance, that might sound like moderation backfiring, but the researchers suspect it reflects something else entirely: people with existing health problems, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, may already be avoiding ramen in an effort to follow doctors’ orders.
02:41
Japan insect enthusiast cooks cricket ramen to promote insect eating
The study followed 6,725 residents of Yamagata prefecture aged 40 and above for about four and a half years, grouping participants by how often they ate ramen – from less than once a month to three or more times a week – and adjusting for other health and lifestyle factors. The lowest mortality risk, it turned out, was among those eating ramen once or twice a week.