According to data from a large cohort study in Japan's Yamagata Prefecture, published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging (JNHA), frequent consumption of ramen noodles is associated with an increased risk of premature death in men.
The study involved more than 6,700 people aged 40 and over. The analysis showed that men who ate ramen twice a week or more had a 67% higher risk of death from all causes and an even higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease compared to those who ate it less than once a month. Notably, a similar link was not found in women.
Participants who ate ramen frequently were also more likely to have other unhealthy habits (smoking, drinking alcohol), be overweight, and have comorbidities. However, the researchers took these factors into account, and the association between ramen and mortality persisted, indicating that the food played a role in its own right.
The combination of frequent consumption of ramen and the habit of drinking the broth completely was particularly dangerous: in this group the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases was the highest. Scientists attribute this effect primarily to the high salt and fat content in the broth, which increases the load on the heart.
The authors emphasize that the study is observational and does not prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship. However, the results suggest that frequent ramen consumption may be a significant health risk factor, especially for middle-aged and older men.
