A study carried out by the University Chicago of Medicine revealed that between 2010 and 2020 instant noodles accounted for a significant amount of all pediatric burns.
The research team collected data on pediatric patients admitted for treatment over the course of ten years to include patient demographics, medical history, length of hospital stay, complications and procedures performed. Thirty-one percent of the 790 cases reviewed by the team were attributed to instant noodles. The burns were also more prevalent among Black/African American children and children who lived in areas with lower Childhood Opportunity Index scores, the study concluded.
“Anecdotally, it felt like every other child we were consulted on for a burn was injured by instant noodles, so we wanted to dive into the data to see what the trend really was. Our hope is to develop the groundwork for future burn prevention programming, as essentially all childhood burns are in some way preventable,” senior study author Sebastian Vrouwe, MD, stated.
Instant noodle burns accounted for nearly a third of all pediatric scald admissions at UChicago Medicine between 2010 and 2020. 40% of the burns occurred when the children were reported to be alone. #NBAWhttps://t.co/U55NZ2GOlT
— UChicago Medicine (@UChicagoMed) February 10, 2023
“We were surprised the sheer magnitude of the problem, which confirmed that focused effort and awareness on these types of burns could have a significant impact in the communities that our burn center serves,” Vrouwe said. The study was limited to the local health system by UChicago Medicine, however researchers believe the statistics could be applied at the national level given that instant noodles are a low-cost, easy-to-prepare food item. (RELATED: Ramen Noodles Are The New De Facto Prison Currency)
It’s not just children who are at risk, researchers say.
“The amount of heat contained in these noodles can easily cause second- and third-degree burns in anyone, but young children are particularly vulnerable due to their relatively smaller bodies and thinner skin,” Vrouwe explained, adding that common causes of the burns were attributed to inadvertent spills.
“Direct caregiver supervision is one important step in burn prevention,” Vrouwe said, advising that adults should prepare the noodles for children and have them eat them while seated at a table as opposed to balancing a dish on their lap.