Association of hypertension with noodle consumption among Korean adults based on the Health Examinees (HEXA) study.

Background/objectives: The prevalence of hypertension is increasing, and noodles have a high sodium content, so noodle consumption might be associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension. This study aimed to analyze the association between total and types of noodle intake and the risk of hypertension among Korean adults. Subjects aged 40-69 years were selected for this study.

Subjects/methods: This study included 56,580 participants (18,246 men and 38,334 women) aged 40-69 years old from the Health Examinees study. Noodle and nutrient intakes were assessed using the food frequency questionnaire. Hypertension was diagnosed as systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg or antihypertensive medication use. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for hypertension.

Results: Higher noodle consumption was associated with increased hypertension among men (HR, 1.273; 95% CI, 1.166-1.390) and women (HR, 1.116; 95% CI, 1.038-1.199).

Conclusion: We recommended reducing noodle intake and consuming vegetables and fruits to increase potassium intake, which can prevent vascular diseases.