Cross-sectional studyindependent cross-checkabstract only checked I-INTC-15 standard review
Instant noodles and metabolic health in Korea
Instant noodle intake and dietary patterns are associated with distinct cardiometabolic risk factors in Korea.
Overview
Shin HJ et al.. J Nutr 2014 · PMID 24966409 · DOI 10.3945/jn.113.188441
Women who ate instant noodles twice a week or more had metabolic syndrome more often (OR 1.68).
Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: moderate
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Test instant noodles vs cardiometabolic risk
- How was the study done?
National cross-sectional survey
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
10,711 Korean adults
- What was actually found?
Higher metabolic syndrome in women
- How large was the observed effect?
OR 1.68 (1.10-2.55) in women
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Eating instant noodles often may not be good for metabolic health.
- What are the study's limitations?
Cross-sectional; Korea
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Supports limiting noodles, not obstruction
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Low
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Cause and effect
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Shin HJ et al.
- Journal
- J Nutr
- Year
- 2014
- Identifier
- PMID 24966409 DOI 10.3945/jn.113.188441
- Verification
- verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-25
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
Erratum in: J Nutr. 2014 Dec;144(12):2094 (per PubMed record)
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
not stated in abstract (PubMed lists non-US government support); erratum published J Nutr 2014;144(12):2094
2. Research question
Is instant noodle intake associated with cardiometabolic risk independent of dietary patterns?
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Cross-sectional study – Cross-sectional analysis of a national survey (KNHANES IV)
- Population
Adults 19-64 years
- Country
South Korea
- Period
2007-2009
- Sample size
10,711 (54.5% women)
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Nationally representative sample
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
Instant noodles >=2 times/week; dietary patterns
- Comparator
Lower intake
- Endpoints
Metabolic syndrome and components
- Statistical methods
Survey-weighted logistic regression
5. Actual results
- Results
Instant noodles >=2 times/week associated with higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome in women (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.10-2.55) but not in men (OR 0.93; 0.58-1.49; P-interaction 0.04). Meat and fast-food pattern: abdominal obesity OR 1.41 (1.05-1.90), LDL >=130 mg/dL OR 1.57 (1.26-1.95).
- Absolute risks
not reported
- Authors' conclusion
Instant noodle consumption was associated with increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome in women, independent of major dietary patterns.
6. Strengths
- Nationally representative
- Adjusted for dietary patterns
7. Weaknesses
- Cross-sectional
- FFQ-based
- Residual confounding
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- ROBINS-E
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- high
- Rationale
Cross-sectional; reverse causation and confounding possible.
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
Association in women only; moderate precision.
10. Relevance to the specific claim
Shows the relevant concerns about frequent instant-noodle intake are cardiometabolic (association with metabolic syndrome in women), not abdominal pressure or obstruction.
11. Independent contrary findings
Not reviewed.
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
Korean population; transferability limited.
13. Overall methodological judgement
Supports limiting instant noodles; does not support the obstruction claim.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | moderate |
| Risk of bias | high |
| Precision of results | moderate |
| Directness | indirect |
| Reproducibility | unknown |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | unknown |
| Regional transferability | low |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | not applicable |
14. Open questions
Causality; relevance to Egyptian diets.
15. Linked fact checks
- Instant noodles ('Indomie') and processed foods cause sudden spikes in intra-abdominal pressure and serious problems such as intestinal obstruction. – Studies with mixed or unclear results