Instant ramen noodles have become a staple food for many college students due to their affordability, convenience, and long shelf life. However, recent studies have shown that frequent consumption of instant ramen noodles may be associated with an increased risk of obesity and cardiometabolic syndrome. This is a concerning trend, as college students are already at a higher risk for these conditions due to their often unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyles.
How much instant ramen do studens eat?
-Students (age 18 to 29) eat instant ramen about 2 times a week.
-Male students eat more instant ramen than female students.
-Students with lower income eat more instant ramen
Research shows that college students, aged 18 to 29, eat instant ramen about 2 times a week. Male students tend to eat more instant ramen than female students. Students with lower income also tended to eat more instant ramen. This is probably due to the low cost of instant ramen noodles.
Why is this consumption metric important?
The consumption of instant noodles has been correlated with higher rates of obesity and cardiometabolic syndrome in South Korea. South Korea has the highest consumption of instant ramen per capita in the world. That's why a research was done to investigate this correlation between instant noodles consumption and obesity and cardiometabolic syndrome.
The research was done 3397 college students (1782 male; 1615 female) between the age of 18 and 29 years old. A health check-up was given to the students to get the data for the rate of obesity and cardiometabolic syndrome. The noodle consumption was tracked with a survey given to the students about their noodle consumption.
The results of the research showed that the students on average consumed instant ramen about 2 times a week and that male students consumed more than female students. Students that consumed more instant noodles, often a had a lower family income than other students. Students that drank more alcohol, smoked more and had more exercise also tended to eat more instant noodles.
The results are shown in the table below:
Source: NCBI
Students who ate more instant ramen had higher blood pressure
The data shows that blood pressure levels and blood glucose levels were higher for the students that regularly ate instant ramen. This was after adjusting for BMI, age, smoking and alcohol consumption. This was true for male consumers as well as for female consumers. In females triglyceride was also higher for regular consumers.
Students with a higher consumptions also showed a higher risk for cardiometabolic factors. The frequency of cardiometabolic risk factors rose as students would consume more instant ramen per month. Students who ate instant noodles less than once a month saw an increase of 0.8%. Moreover students who consumed instant noodles more than 3 times a week saw an increase of 2.5%.
Source: NCBI
In conlcusion
The findings of this study suggest that college students should be aware of the potential health risks associated with frequent consumption of instant ramen noodles. While instant ramen noodles can be a convenient and affordable meal option, they should not be a regular part of a healthy diet. Students should instead focus on eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and limit their intake of processed foods and sugary drinks.
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