Limited acceptance of globalization in food habits among middle-aged women in Osaka, Japan.

The study was initiated to identify the effects of recent changes in dietary pattern in Japan on nutrient intake. In the large city of Osaka, Japan, 24-h food duplicate samples were collected from 26 middle-aged women, and nutrients in the duplicates were estimated in reference to standard tables of food composition. The subjects took 1844 kcal (7.72 MJ) energy, 67.5 g protein, and 54.5 g lipid (37% from plants) per day. Micro-nutrient intakes were generally sufficient, but NaCl intake tended to be excessive, and the relatively high body mass index (>25 in six cases) suggested a possibility of over-eating. The food composition was rich in rice and fish, being basically of a traditional type. Consumption of bread, an acquired habit, was observed in 65% of the breakfasts but less so in lunch and none in dinner. Thus, the acceptance of bread in place of rice was limited and did not induce substantial alteration in nutrient intakes.

Reduction in estimated vitamin A intake induced by new food composition tables in Japan, where vitamin A is taken mostly from plant foods.

A revised edition of the standard tables of food composition was implemented in Japan in 2005; one of the major revision points is the change of retinol activity equivalents for pro-vitamin A carotenoids. This preliminary analysis was conducted to examine whether the revision affects the estimation of vitamin A intake; and if so, to what extent. Accordingly, a field survey was conducted to collect 24-h duplicates of daily foods of citizens, and 26 adult women volunteered. Application of the procedures in the new and previous standard tables of food composition gave 537 microg retinol activity equivalent and 704 microg retinol equivalence, respectively, for daily vitamin A intake. Thus, the changes in retinol activity equivalents induced substantial reduction (by 24%) in estimation of vitamin A intake among the Japanese population, for whom pro-vitamin A carotenoids in plant foods are the major sources (76%) for vitamin A, and retinol accounts for only 35% (on the retinol activity equivalent basis).