Nutritional Adequacy Assessment of the Japanese Diet Using the Number of Dishes Compared to Existing Dietary Diversity Indices: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey, Japan.

The Japanese diet has attracted attention as a factor contributing to the Japanese population's longevity. A typical Japanese meal, traditionally called "ichiju-sansai," is composed of various dishes. This study assessed the nutritional adequacy of the Japanese diet using the number of dishes in all meals (NDAM) compared to existing dietary diversity indices (DDIs). This cross-sectional study used data from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey. A total of 25,976 participants aged ≥20 y were included in this study. NDAM was calculated for whole dishes or single foods (except supplements and beverages) from one-day weighted dietary records. The food variety score (FVS), number of foods, dietary diversity score (DDS), and number of food groups are some of the existing DDIs. NDAM had relatively high positive correlation coefficients with potassium, magnesium, and dietary fiber. The partial correlation coefficients with an indicator of the overall nutrient adequacy of NDAM was 0.42 for men and 0.42 for women. It was almost the same as that of the FVS (men: 0.44, women: 0.42) and DDS (men: 0.44, women: 0.43). On the other hand, NDAM, similar to existing DDIs, was also positively correlated with nutrient restriction in both sexes. These findings indicate that the nutrient adequacy of NDAM is similar to that of the existing DDIs. Because of the higher sodium intake and cholesterol intake in higher NDAM and existing DDIs, the effect of higher NDAM on health outcomes must be investigated in future studies.

Trends in Prevalence, Treatment, and Control of Hypertension According to 40-Year-Old Life Expectancy at Prefectures in Japan from the National Health and Nutrition Surveys.

The prevalence of hypertension has been decreasing in Japan due to improved medical treatment and a decrease in dietary salt intake. However, disparities in the prevalence, treatment, and control of hypertension are expected to occur in different regions. This study aimed to investigate the trends in the prevalence, treatment, and control of hypertension at the prefectural level of life expectancy among Japanese population. We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey and analysed the individual survey information of individuals aged 40-69 years by dividing it into six terms, i.e., 1995-1997, 1999-2001, 2003-2005, 2007-2009, 2012, and 2016. Prefectures were classified into four groups according to their 40-year-old life expectancy in 2000. Outcome values were standardised to the population by 10-year age groups in 2010, and they were tested by two-way analysis of variance according to six terms and life expectancies. The prevalence of hypertension tended to decrease, especially among women, whereas the treatment and control tended to improve from the first to the sixth period in both men and women. The prevalence and treatment of hypertension in men with longer life expectancy tended to be lower than that in other groups, and there was no obvious difference in the control. In women, there were no obvious differences in the prevalence, treatment, or control. Reducing the prevalence of hypertension by improving lifestyle factors, such as high salt intake in each prefecture with a relatively short life expectancy, may be important to resolve the disparity in life expectancy among prefectures.

Lifetime use of complementary and alternative medicine therapies among community-dwelling older people in Japan.

[Purpose] Three complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies: "Judo therapy", "acupuncture and moxibustion", and "Japanese traditional massage and finger pressure" have been partially covered by the national health insurance in Japan. The lifetime prevalence of the use of these CAM therapies is not well known. The aim of the present study was to report the prevalence of the lifetime use of these CAM therapies. [Participants and Methods] We conducted a mailed self-administered questionnaire survey among community-dwelling older people in Japan in 2015. They were asked whether they had undergone any treatments with the 3 CAM therapies. The answers obtained were classified into 3 categories: current, ever, or never. We defined lifetime prevalence as the proportion of individuals who are currently using or have ever used any of these 3 therapies in the population. [Results] Overall, we approached 1051 individuals and 983 agreed to participate. Lifetime prevalence of Judo therapy, acupuncture and moxibustion, and Japanese traditional massage and finger pressure use was 28.0%, 17.8% and 15.8%, respectively, among males, and 44.5%, 18.4%, and 27.3%, respectively, among females. [Conclusion] These results showed that not only Western medicine but also CAM therapies are common among older people in Japan.

Dietary supplement use by community-living population in Japan: data from the National Institute for Longevity Sciences Longitudinal Study of Aging (NILS-LSA).

BACKGROUND: There are few studies about dietary supplement use and nutrient intake from these products in Japan. The purpose of this study was to clarify (1) the prevalence of dietary supplement use, (2) the characteristics of dietary supplement users, (3) nutrient intake from dietary supplements, and (4) the existence of dietary supplement users who took excessive nutrients from these products. METHODS: To collect the information on dietary supplement use in the previous year and nutrient intake from these products, we conducted a self-administered dietary supplement frequency questionnaire. The subjects were 2,259 people aged 40-82 years. Dietary supplements were grouped into 8 major categories. A dietary supplement database was developed to estimate nutrient intake from these products. Excess users were defined as people who consumed more nutrient than the tolerable upper intake level of the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese. RESULTS: In the previous year, 55 % of males and 61 % of females consumed dietary supplements. Dietary supplement use was especially prevalent in females, subjects who felt unhealthy, and subjects who were more careful of maintaining an appropriate weight, though the association was affected by the frequency of dietary supplement use. The most common dietary supplements were drink type in males and vitamins in females. Some nutrient values obtained from dietary supplements were higher than those from food. Excess users were found for intake of vitamin A, B(6), K, niacin, iron, and magnesium. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to clarify dietary supplement use and to estimate nutrient intake from these products.