Effects of revision of Japanese food composition tables on estimation of nutrient intakes, with reference to age-dependent differences

Iron deficiency anemia improved by dental implantation: A case report

Treatments for improving iron deficiency anemia are generally aimed at increasing oral iron intake and/or administration. Such treatments, however, have been unsuccessful in managing nutritional disorders, including anemia, in patients with masticatory dysfunction caused by impaired occlusion. Nevertheless, few studies have assessed the potential benefits of providing optimal occlusion in such cases. Here, we report a case involving a 53-year-old woman with iron deficiency anemia, wherein we attempted to facilitate efficient mastication by establishing functional occlusion with dental implant placement. The patient was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia and hospitalized for blood transfusion 2 years before she visited our dental clinic. At the first visit, her hemoglobin (Hb) and mean corpuscular volume values were low; sodium ferrous citrate administration and dietary guidance led to slight improvement. However, blood transfusions and iron supplementation had been ineffective over longer duration. After dental implant placement, her Hb and mean corpuscular volume values were restored and maintained for >4 years without medication. Through this report, we highlight an alternative, non-pharmacological treatment strategy for iron deficiency anemia.

Meat intake frequency and anemia in Japanese children and adolescents

The consumption of meat products is considered to be a feasible solution to prevent anemia, which is a critical health problem. The present study assessed hematological parameters and the prevalence of anemia in Japanese children and adolescents, and examined the association with the frequency of meat intake. Data from the Shunan Children Health Cohort Study were analyzed. The participants included male and female residents, 3373 children (aged 10-11 years), and 3085 adolescents (aged 13-14 years). The frequency of meat intake was determined with a questionnaire, and blood samples were analyzed. Anemia was defined according to the criteria of the World Health Organization. The prevalence of anemia in children was 3.6% and 2.5% in girls and boys, respectively, and in adolescents, it was 4.5% in girls and 0.8% in boys. The frequency of meat intake did not show a positive association with the hematological indices or the prevalence of anemia. These results suggest that the promotion of meat consumption is not an effective strategy to decrease anemia, and that other approaches are necessary to prevent anemia in this population.

Iron intake and associated factors in general Japanese population: NIPPON DATA80, NIPPON DATA90 and national nutrition monitoring

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dietary iron intake and associated other dietary factors and clinical characteristics among a representative sample cohort of Japanese population.

METHODS

We obtained data from NIPPON DATA80 and 90 that were conducted with the National Nutrition Surveys in 1980 and in 1990. Then we estimated nutrient and food intakes of individuals in the National Nutrition Survey of 1980 and that of 1990, which were adjusted on the basis of data of the National Nutrition Survey of 1995. Finally, we analyzed data for the 10,422 participants (4585 men and 5837 women) in NIPPON DATA80 and 8342 participants (3488 men and 4854 women) in NIPPON DATA90 having dietary iron intake information.

RESULTS

In NIPPON DATA80 and 90, there was a significant relationship between the dietary iron intake and age for both men and women. Dietary protein intake was associated with iron intake where as dietary fat intake did not show any association. Regarding the minerals, significant relationships were observed between the different minerals and dietary iron intake. Apart from the food group of milk and dairy products, there were significant differences in other food groups according to quintiles of iron intakes for men and women.

CONCLUSIONS

We described the mean dietary iron intake and its relation with other dietary factors and clinical characteristics in Japanese adults as the baseline data in NIPPON DATA80 and in NIPPON DATA90.

Iron intake does not significantly correlate with iron deficiency among young Japanese women: a cross-sectional study

Objectives

We evaluated the association of nutrient intake with Fe deficiency with regard to lifestyle factors and health condition in young Japanese women. Uniquely among developed countries, dietary habits render Japanese populations vulnerable to Fe deficiency, owing to their relatively low intake of Fe and high intake of Fe absorption inhibitors, such as green tea and soyabeans.

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Setting and subjects

The subjects were 1019 female Japanese dietetic students aged 18–25 years. Dietary habits during the preceding month were assessed using a previously validated, self-administered, diet history questionnaire. Blood analysis was performed to assess body Fe status. Subjects were categorized with Fe deficiency when their serum ferritin levels were <12 ng/ml. Twenty-nine dietary variables, i.e. intakes of energy, sixteen nutrients including Fe and twelve food groups, were analysed using multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for possible confounders.

Results

Of the subjects, 24·5 % were categorized with Fe deficiency. However, no dietary factors assessed were significantly associated with Fe deficiency. The risk of Fe deficiency was significantly lower in women with infrequent or no menstrual cycles than in those with regular cycles (OR = 0·58; 95 % CI 0·34, 1·00) and significantly higher in women with heavy menstrual flow than in women with average flow, albeit that these were self-reported (OR = 1·83; 95 % CI 1·35, 2·48).

Conclusions

These results suggest that dietary habits, including Fe intake, do not significantly correlate with Fe deficiency among young Japanese women.

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).

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.

Impact of the revision of a nutrient database on the validity of a self-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ)

BACKGROUND

Revision of the national nutrient database in 2000 had a strong impact on the absolute level of estimated nutrient intake in dietary assessments. However, whether it influenced the ranking of individuals by estimated intake, a more important function in epidemiologic studies, has not been investigated. Here, we investigated the effect of this revision of the nutrient database on the validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) used to estimate nutrient intake in the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective Study (JPHC Study).

METHODS

Subjects were a subsample of the JPHC Study who volunteered to participate in the validation study of the FFQ. Validity of the FFQ was evaluated by reference to the 28-day weighed dietary records as a gold standard. Nutrient intake according to the FFQ was recalculated using the revised database, and the results were compared to those using the previous database. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients (CCs) between intakes estimated by the FFQ and dietary records were computed using the revised database, and were compared to CCs computed using the previous database.

RESULTS

For most of the nutrients, mean intake increased or decreased significantly using the revised database. However, no notable change was seen for the CC between estimated intake according to dietary records and FFQ when the revised database was used for calculation. Differences in the point estimates of the CCs ranged from -0.14 to 0.15. Likewise, CCs between biomarkers and estimated intake according to FFQ were similar for the two databases.

CONCLUSION

Despite changes in intake levels for many nutrients, the validity of our FFQ using rank correlation by nutrient intake was not influenced by revision of the nutrient database in Japan.