Nutr Res Pract.  2011 Oct;5(5):443-449.

A comparison of food and nutrient intake between instant noodle consumers and non-instant noodle consumers in Korean adults

• Park J
• Lee JS
• Jang YA
• Chung HR
• Kim J

Abstract

Instant noodles are widely consumed in Asian countries. The Korean population consumed the largest quantity of instant noodles in the world in 2008. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between instant noodles and nutritional status in Koreans. The objective of this study was to examine the association between instant noodle consumption and food and nutrient intake in Korean adults. We used dietary data of 6,440 subjects aged 20 years and older who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III. The average age of the instant noodle consumers (INC) was 36.2 and that of the non-instant noodle consumers (non-INC) was 44.9; men consumed more instant noodles than women (P < 0.001). With the exception of cereals and grain products, legumes, seaweeds, eggs, and milk and dairy products, INC consumed significantly fewer potatoes and starches, sugars, seeds and nuts, vegetables, mushrooms, fruits, seasonings, beverages, meats, fishes, and oils and fats compared with those in the non-INC group. The INC group showed significantly higher nutrient intake of energy, fat, sodium, thiamine, and riboflavin; however, the INC group showed a significantly lower intake of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, vitamin A, niacin, and vitamin C compared with those in the non-INC group. This study revealed that consuming instant noodles may lead to excessive intake of energy, fats, and sodium but may also cause increased intake of thiamine and riboflavin. Therefore, nutritional education helping adults to choose a balanced meal while consuming instant noodles should be implemented. Additionally, instant noodle manufacturers should consider nutritional aspects when developing new products.

Keyword

Instant noodle; ramyon; food intake; nutrient intake; Korean

MeSH Terms

Adult
Agaricales
Aged
Ascorbic Acid
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Beverages
Calcium
Carbohydrates
Edible Grain
Dairy Products
Eating
Eggs
Fabaceae
Fats
Female
Fishes
Fruit
Humans
Iron
Male
Meals
Meat
Milk
Niacin
Nutrition Surveys
Nutritional Status
Nuts
Oils
Ovum
Phosphorus
Potassium
Riboflavin
Seasons
Seeds
Sodium
Solanum tuberosum
Starch
Thiamine
Vegetables
Vitamin A
Ascorbic Acid
Calcium
Carbohydrates
Fats
Iron
Niacin
Oils
Phosphorus
Potassium
Riboflavin
Sodium
Starch
Thiamine
Vitamin A

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