Health Japanese study: Ramen lovers may face higher health risks

In Japan's ramen-loving stronghold, a recent study has caused a stir by suggesting that tucking into the popular noodle dish three or more times a week could come with health risks. The research, carried out by universities in Yamagata Prefecture — a region famous for some of the country's highest ramen consumption — indicated that people who ate ramen frequently had roughly a 1.5 times higher risk of death than those who limited themselves to just one or two bowls a week.


The researchers cautioned that the evidence isn't solid enough to label ramen a health risk at this stage. They emphasised that more detailed studies are needed before anyone can say for sure what impact eating noodles regularly might have.

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. 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. For certain groups, the risks piled up. Those under 70 who ate ramen three or more times a week had more than double the risk of dying compared with once-or-twice-a-week eaters. Frequent ramen lovers who also drank alcohol regularly saw their risk rise even higher, to 2.7 times.

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You already posted about this. You forgot already? Uh oh. That's something I would do but you. You're too young. Unless you've been eating a lot of ramen. That would explain it.

mdchachi said:

You already posted about this. You forgot already? Uh oh. That's something I would do but you. You're too young. Unless you've been eating a lot of ramen. That would explain it.

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I thought no one would notice.

If I switch to chuuka soba will I improve my health?

According to a recent study conducted by the Japanese Swine Breeder Association, there is a 0.05% likelihood that regular consumption of chuuka will increase your stamina but not your life expectancy. Or so I read.

I always thought chūka soba just meant ramen, but since I might have been mistaken, I asked ChatGPT-sensei about the difference.

A)
here's a clear explanation of the difference between "Chūka soba," "Shina soba," and "Ramen."

1. Chūka soba (中華そば) – "Chinese-style noodles"
Used in Japan from the late Meiji to early Shōwa periods.
"Chūka" meant "Chinese," so the name literally means "Chinese-style soba (noodles)."
Often associated with old-fashioned soy-sauce–based ramen.
Still used today by some traditional shops to evoke nostalgia.

2. Shina soba (支那そば) – "Shina-style noodles"
"Shina" was once a common Japanese word for China, used without negative meaning in the late 19th to early 20th century.
However, during and after WWII, it came to be considered derogatory by Chinese people, so the term fell out of favor.
Some long-established ramen shops still use it to emphasize a "classic" or "retro" style.

3. Ramen (ラーメン)
Derived from the Chinese word lāmiàn (hand-pulled noodles).
Became the standard name in Japan after WWII, especially from the 1950s–60s with the spread of instant ramen and ramen chains.

Today, "ramen" is the universal and most widely recognized name both in Japan and worldwide.

In short:

Shina soba = old, now outdated name (prewar/early postwar).
Chūka soba = nostalgic "Chinese-style noodles," still seen at traditional shops.
Ramen = the modern, standard term.

Interesting. I always assumed it meant the same thing also.

When I think of ramen, I remember going to a ramen shop near my school after club activities and eating a student-discount ramen for 450 yen. The owner would serve one and a half times the normal portion for students, which is a fond memory.

Hiroyuki Nagashima said:

When I think of ramen, I remember going to a ramen shop near my school after club activities and eating a student-discount ramen for 450 yen. The owner would serve one and a half times the normal portion for students, which is a fond memory.

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He was jealously trying to off-set the increase in lifespan you'd gained as a consequence of your after school activities by feeding you extra ramen.

There are always more than one perspective