[Evaluation of the relationship between household economic situation and food group intake in children attending nursery school].

Objectives　The relationship between household income and dietary intake among older children and adults in Japan has been studied. However, few studies have examined the relationship in younger children, and we believe that this should be taken into consideration from early childhood to correct health disparities. In this study, we examined the relationship between family income and dietary food group intake, and investigated the adequacy of food intake based on the Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top for young children aged 3 to 6 years attending nursery school. The goal of this study was to obtain trends in food intake that can be used to improve poor dietary intake of young children caused by socioeconomic factors.Methods　A dietary survey using the food weighing or recording method and a self-administered questionnaire on dietary status were conducted on two non-consecutive days, including weekdays and weekends, from October to December 2019 or 2020. The participants were 761 young children (423 boys and 338 girls) attending nursery schools in seven cities in Japan. Equivalent income was calculated from household income and the number of family members indicated in the dietary status survey. Intake of each food group and consistency with the Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top were compared in five quintiles.Results　Compared to the low equivalent income group, the high equivalent income group showed a decreasing trend in cereal intake and an increasing trend in the intake of sugar and sweeteners, green and yellow vegetables, and dairy products. The percentage of the low-income group who did not meet the definition of adequate intake using the Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top was lower for meals that include cereals and grain products, and higher for meals that include meat and fish, vegetable, milk and dairy products, and fruits.Conclusion　The lower income group had higher intake of cereals and lower intake of vegetables and fruits compared to the higher income group. This finding is similar to the results of studies in adults and older children. However, based on the Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top, >90% of young children have a diet that fall below the adequate intake of meals, including vegetable dishes and even on weekdays, which suggests a general vegetable deficiency in young children. Multifaceted support is required to address this concern, including measures to correct disparities of income and to ensure desirable nutrient intake in early childhood.

Effects of Using a Perforated Spoon on Salt Reduction When Consuming Ramen Noodles: A Randomized Crossover Study of Japanese Male University Students.

Salt reduction is a public health priority for the Japanese population. We focused on the effect of salt reduction by changing eating utensils to reduce salt consumption. As a test meal, we used ramen, which is commonly eaten by Japanese individuals and has a high salt content. In this randomized crossover study, we hypothesized that eating ramen with a perforated spoon would reduce the quantity of ramen soup and salt consumed compared to using a regular spoon without holes. Soup intake, after-meal fullness, and deliciousness were compared between eating with chopsticks and a regular spoon, and with chopsticks and a perforated spoon. In total, 36 male university students (mean age, 20.7 [standard deviation, 1.8] years) were included in the analyses. The median salt intake (25th and 75th percentiles) was significantly lower with perforated spoons (1.8 [1.5, 4.3] g) than with regular spoons (2.4 [1.8, 4.8] g; p = 0.019). There were no significant differences in after-meal fullness or deliciousness for both spoon conditions (p > 0.05). For young men, the soup intake when eating ramen with a perforated spoon was lower than that with a regular spoon; this suggests a reduction in salt intake.

The relationship between parental mealtime behavior and subjective diet-related quality of life (SDQOL) of Japanese adolescents: A cross sectional study in Kumamoto prefecture.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Family meals favor adolescent dietary quality and mental health. The aim of this study was to explores the relationships between parental behavior during family meals, and the subjective dietrelated quality of life (SDQOL) of Japanese adolescents. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Participants comprised 664 second-year junior high school students aged 13-14 years from Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. Survey items included sex, age, family structure, parental behavior during mealtimes (frequency of warnings/listening to children), frequency of family meals (number of meals taken together), and SDQOL. Participants were divided into two groups (low and high) based on the median SDQOL score. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationships among parental behavior during meals, frequency of family meals, and SDQOL. The dependent variable was SDQOL; independent variables were parental mealtime behavior and family meal frequency. RESULTS: The high-SDQOL group comprised 150 boys (45.3%) and 167 girls (51.1%). Compared to those who ate with family 0-5.5 times per week, those who did so 7-9.5 (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: [1.64-4.00]) or 11.5-14.0 (OR: 2.87, 95% CI: [1.83-4.50]) times per week had a better SDQOL. Those whose parents listened during meals on four or more days per week, compared with three days or less, had a better SDQOL (OR: 4.06, 95% CI: [2.76- 5.98]). CONCLUSIONS: Eating together more than seven times a week and having parents listen to them during meals are associated with better adolescent SDQOL.

A Review on Eating Together and Its Health, Diet, and Lifestyle Influences among Japanese.

To discuss the importance associated with eating together for the Japanese population based on recent research evidence, we conducted a systematic review on eating together and eating alone in relation to health, diet, and lifestyle. In this review, we defined "eating together" as eating meals together with other people, not limited to family members but friends, relatives, or neighbors. Articles published between 2000 and 2018 were accessed using domestic and international databases (Igaku Chuo Zasshi, CiNii, J-STAGE, PubMed, Scopus, and Eric). After screening titles, abstracts, and full texts, 62 articles matching the criteria were included in the review. Most articles were cross-sectional studies. Target populations included preschool children (n=8), school-aged children through university students (n=34), and adults and the elderly (n=20). Although definitions of "eating together" differed by the studies, the most used indicator was "frequency of eating together," with whom eating meals together being "family," and the targeted meals were "breakfast and dinner." Having either eating together occasions or few eating alone chances were more likely to associate with better quality of life, subjective health, food intake and balanced diet, dietary behavior, and life rhythm across the life course.

Increase of serum cholesterol levels by heat-moisture-treated high-amylose cornstarch in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet.

The effects of four cornstarches containing various contents of resistant starch on serum and liver cholesterol levels in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet were investigated. Male Sprague Dawley rats (aged 4 weeks) were divided into four groups (n = 7) and fed high-cholesterol diets containing 15% of cornstarch (CS), heat-moisture-treated CS (HCS), high-amylose CS (HA), or heat-moisture-treated HA (HHA) for 21 days. The results showed that the serum and hepatic level of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride in rats of the HHA group and their arteriosclerosis index were significantly higher, suggesting that HHA increases the risk of arteriosclerosis under a high-cholesterol dietary condition. No significant between-group differences were noted in the levels of plasma mevalonic acid and hepatic HMG-CoA reductase mRNA, whereas fecal cholesterol excretion was significantly higher in the HHA group, indicating that the elevation of the serum and liver cholesterol levels was not due to the promotion of liver cholesterol synthesis and cholesterol absorption in the intestine.

Serum cholesterol-decreasing effect of heat-moisture-treated high-amylose cornstarch in cholesterol-loaded rats.

Rats were fed on a diet containing cholesterol (Chol) at a level corresponding to the standard Chol intake in humans, and the influence of heat-moisture-treated high-amylose cornstarch (HHA) on their serum Chol level was investigated. HHA decreased the serum level of Chol in rats fed on the diet containing 0.1% Chol, which corresponds to a Chol intake in humans of 800 mg/d, although the liver levels of Chol increased in these rats. HHA did not influence the fecal excretion of Chol/bile acids. It is possible that the decrease in serum Chol level in the rats fed on the high-Chol diet can be attributed to the promotion of Chol uptake in the liver.

Inhibition of increases in blood glucose and serum neutral fat by Momordica charantia saponin fraction.

Focusing on a functional component of Momordica charantia, saponin, we investigated its effects on serum glucose and neutral fat levels. Saponin was extracted as a butanol-soluble fraction (saponin fraction) from hot blast-dried Momordica charantia powder. The disaccharidase-inhibitory activity and the pancreatic lipase-inhibitory activity of the saponin fraction were measured, and in vivo sugar- and lipid-loading tests were performed. The saponin fraction inhibited disaccharidase activity and elevation of the blood glucose level after sucrose loading. The fraction also markedly inhibited pancreatic lipase activity and elevation of the serum neutral fat level after corn oil loading. Based on these findings, the main active component related to the anti-diabetic effect of Momordica charantia is present in the butanol fraction, and it may be saponin. The blood glucose and serum neutral fat-lowering effects of Momordica charantia were closely associated with its inhibitory activity against disaccharidase and pancreatic lipase.