Search

Dietary diversity is an indicator of diet quality. Dietary diversity has been suggested to result in good nutrient intake, but it can affect dietary cost. We examined whether dietary diversity correlates with nutrient intake and monetary diet cost.We used data for 3985 individuals (age range: 20-64 years) from the 2014 Japan National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHNS). Dietary diversity was assessed using the food variety score (FVS; the number of foods) and dietary diversity score (DDS; the number of food groups, range: 1-14). Mean energy and nutrient intake from NHNS, and diet cost from the National Retail Price Survey were compared among FVS quartiles using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and between 2 groups with median DDS using the Mann-Whitney U test.Mean (SD) FVS and DDS per day were 22.3 (7.2) and 9.8 (2.0), respectively. For most nutrients, intake per 4184 kJ was relatively high when FVS was high (p0.001); however, carbohydrate intake was relatively high in the low-FVS group (p0.001). For all nutrients with significant differences, intake was higher in the group with high DDS (≥10). Monetary diet cost was higher in the high-FVS and DDS groups compared with the low groups (p0.001).Intake of a variety of food and food groups resulted in higher intake of various nutrients as well as higher monetary diet cost. Additionally, care should be taken to avoid excessive intake of nutrients such as sodium and SFA that may result from diverse diets.

Previous studies have suggested that self-efficacy, social support, and knowledge are primary psychosocial predictors of dietary behavior in adults. The present study aimed to investigate the associations of self-efficacy, social support, and knowledge with fruit and vegetable consumption in Japanese workers.From September to November 2014, a self-administered questionnaire was completed by Japanese workers at 8 workplaces in Niigata, Japan. Self-efficacy and social support for fruit and vegetable consumption were measured using a 3-item Likert scale across particular situations. Knowledge was measured using a single item about the recommended guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption in Japan. Fruit and vegetable consumption was assessed using a validated, brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire.Of the 457 respondents, 395 participants' data were analyzed. Scores in self-efficacy and social support showed a significant and positive association with fruit (p0.001, p=0.002) and vegetable consumption (p=0.001, p=0.015). Knowledge was significantly and positively associated with vegetable consumption (p=0.015) but did not statistically differ in fruit consumption (p=0.645).The findings of this study suggest that selfefficacy and social support are positively associated with fruit and vegetable consumption in Japanese workers.

This study examines the relationship between of food group intake and household income in a representative Japanese population. A total of 11,015 subjects (5,127 men and 5,888 women) aged 20 to 79 years, in 5,475 households who were part of the National Health and Nutrition Survey, Japan, in 2010 and 2011 were analyzed. Dietary intake was recorded for one day in November for those aged one year and older, from 300 randomly selected survey districts. Household income per year was recorded in the questionnaire in three categories: low (2 million yen), middle (2-6 million yen) and high (=6 million yen). Multilevel regression modelling was applied to take into account the hierarchical data structure of subjects nested within households, and households nested within survey districts. Dichotomous variables divided at the median intake of each food group were used. In a model where sex, age, household size and population size of municipalities to which survey districts belonged were adjusted, the total energy intake was found to be highest in individuals from middle income households, and lowest for those from low income households. In models where a total energy intake was additionally adjusted, household members with low and middle incomes had a significantly higher intake of cereals, and a lower intake of potatoes and starches, pulses, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, fish and shellfish, milk and seasonings and spices compared with those with high incomes. In conclusion, household members with lower incomes in Japan consumed more staple foods, but less vegetable, fruit and fish.

Overweight and obesity increase the risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic disorders and are increasing in Japan, particularly among men. Several prospective studies have suggested that high vegetable intake is inversely associated with weight gain. Here, the association between vegetable consumption and weight gain in a group of food manufacturing workers over the course of one year was investigated.The study was a one-year cohort study of the nutrition and lifestyle survey. The study population consisted of 900 and 910 Japanese employees (aged 19-60 years) from a manufacturing company located in Musashino City, Tokyo, Japan, that were administered the same validated brief self-administered diet history and dietary lifestyle questionnaire in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Clinical examinations of body weight were also performed to assess changes in weight. We analyzed participants who responded in both 2006 and 2007 (n=478).Risk of weight gain of more than 3 kg was significantly lower in the group consuming the most vegetables than in the group consuming the least, and this difference remained significant after adjustment for baseline age, sex, and consumption of other foods (p for trend=0.028).Weight gain was inversely associated with high consumption of vegetables. Encouraging Japanese employees to consume more vegetables may be an important strategy in controlling weight gain and preventing metabolic syndrome.背景与目的：超重和肥胖会增加高血压、2 型糖尿病和其他代谢性疾病的风 险，这种现象在日本呈现增加趋势，特别是男性。一些前瞻性研究表明，高的 蔬菜摄入量与增重呈负相关。该研究对一家日本制造公司的员工蔬菜摄入量和 增重之间的关系进行了为期一年的研究。方法与研究设计：该研究是一个为期 一年的营养和生活方式的调查研究。在2006 和2007 年，对日本东京武藏野市 一家制造公司的900 和910 名日本员工（年龄在19～60 岁）分别对其进行简 易饮食史和饮食生活方式的问卷调查，同时也进行体重的临床检查以便评估体 重的变化。我们分析了在2006 和2007 均参与调查的478 名对象。结果：摄入 蔬菜最多的人群中，增重超过3 千克的风险显著低于摄入蔬菜最少者；在调整 基线年龄、性别和其他食品消费量的影响后，这种差异仍然存在（趋势 p=0.028）。结论：增重与高的蔬菜摄入量呈负相关。鼓励日本员工多吃蔬 菜，可能是控制增重和预防代谢综合征的重要策略。.

The purpose of this study was to determine trends in body physique among Tongan adults, between the late 1970s and the 2000s. Two areas were studied: Kolofo'ou town (as an urban area) and 'Uiha village (as a rural area). Measurements of body weight and height were taken 4 times for all residents in both areas in 1977/79, 1983, 1990, and 2001. The number of the subjects in 1977/1979, 1983, 1990, 2001 were 130, 138, 102, 71 in the urban area and 92, 89, 90, 66 in the rural area respectively. The mean body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) values of males in the rural area increased significantly, from 28.0 kg/m2 in 1977 to 31.0 kg/m2 in 2001 (p=0.001); in females, mean BMI values were 30.6 kg/m2 in 1977 and 33.3 kg/m2 in 2001, this change was not statistically significant. However, the BMI values did not significantly change in males or females in the urban area. The proportion of rural males with a BMIor=30 kg/m2 had increased from 24.5% in 1977 to 55.5% in 2001 (p=0.012). Although the mean BMI values for males and females were higher in the urban area than in the rural area until 1990, the differences between the two areas were not observed in 2001, due to an increase of BMI in the rural area. Changes of the mean BMI values in the rural and urban areas studied, between the late 1970s and 2000s, were 10% and 4%, respectively.