Yukari Takemi

Association of enjoyable childhood mealtimes with adult eating behaviors and subjective diet-related quality of life.

OBJECTIVE This study examined whether the experience of enjoyable mealtimes at home during childhood was related to eating behaviors and subjective diet-related quality of life in adulthood. METHODS The study used data (n = 2,936) obtained from a research program about Shokuiku (food and nutrition education) conducted by the Cabinet Office in Japan in November and December 2009. The study employed logistic regression adjusted for all predictor variables. RESULTS Enjoyable eating experiences in childhood were positively associated with a balanced diet (meals with 3 dishes; odds ratio [OR]: 1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.45-2.19), eating vegetable dishes (OR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.37-2.12), and subjective diet-related quality of life scores (OR: 3.84, 95% CI: 3.14-4.70) in adulthood. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS This study suggests that enjoyable eating experiences at home during childhood appear to promote healthy eating habits and the development of a positive diet-related quality of life in the future.

Food accessibility and perceptions of shopping difficulty among elderly people living alone in Japan

ObjectivesThis aim of this study was to describe the association between shopping difficulty and food accessibility for elderly people living alone in Japan.DesignA cross-sectoral, multilevel survey was designed to measure shopping difficulty from a food accessibility perspective. The questionnaire was distributed by mail.SettingThe sample was drawn from seven towns and cities across Japan.ParticipantsA geographic information system was used to select the sample: it identified the proximity of elderly people living alone to a supermarket. In total, 2,028 elderly people (725 men and 1,303 women) responded to the questionnaire.MeasurementsThe binary dependent variables were shopping is easy/shopping is difficult. A logistic regression analysis adjusting for age and area of residence and using stepwise variable analyses was performed.ResultsThe response rate was 58.6%. Overall, 14.6% of elderly men and 21.7% of elderly women consider shopping difficult. The stepwise logistic analysis showed that the food accessibility factors strongly related to shopping difficulty are infrequent car use (women: OR = 6.97), walking difficulties (men: OR = 2.81, women: OR = 3.48), poor eyesight (men: OR = 2.26, women: OR = 1.75), not cooking lunch by oneself (men: OR = 1.63, women: OR = 1.72), not having anyone to help with food shopping (women: OR = 1.45) and living over 1 km away from a supermarket (men: OR = 2.30, women: OR = 2.97).ConclusionThe study concludes that elderly people’s assessment of shopping difficulty is related to their food accessibility. Important food accessibility aspects include car or motorbike ownership, walking continuously for 1 km, poor eyesight, and having cooking skills and having someone to help with shopping. These physical activity restrictions have a greater influence on shopping difficulty than do either income or proximity to a supermarket.

Relationship between dietary diversity and food access among elderly living alone in Saitama Prefecture

OBJECTIVES To examine the relationship between dietary diversity and food access among elderly living alone. METHODS In September 2013, a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted with 4,348 elderly aged 65-89 years, living in A city in Saitama Prefecture. The subjects answered about their health conditions, frequency of food consumption, difficulty of food store access, social support, food preparation, and so on. The response rate was 59.6%. The dietary diversity score (DDS) was calculated as the number of food groups consumed in a day (0 to 10). The DDS was validated by its association with independence and health status of the elderly. As indicators of food access, objective food access was measured using a geographic information system (GIS), and subjective food access was measured by the questionnaire. Responses of 1,043 subjects (452 male and 591 female) were analyzed after excluding those who live with others in an actual household composition. We classified the subjects into two groups according to the DDS: low group (three or less) and high group (four or more). Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted using the DDS groups as the dependent variable, and subjective food access and other factors as independent variables, adjusting for age, income, subjective economic status, education, and frailty status. RESULTS The number of subjects in each group were as follows: low=107 (23.7%), high=345 (76.3%) for males, high=263 (44.5%), low=328 (55.5%) for females. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the difficulty in subjective food store access was associated with a low DDS in males [OR=4.00, 95% CI (1.36-11.82)] as well as in females [OR=2.24, 95% CI (1.11-4.51)]. Further, for females, social support and preparation of supper by oneself were significantly associated with their DDS. No significant relationships were found between objective food store access and DDS in both males and females. CONCLUSION The DDS was strongly associated with subjective food store access among the elderly living alone. For females, social support and meal preparation skills were also suggested as important factors affecting their DDS.

Association between satisfaction with state of health and meals, physical condition and food diversity, health behavior, and perceptions of shopping difficulty among older people living alone in Japan

ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine perceptions of shopping difficulty, and the relationships with satisfaction with state of health and meals, physical condition, food diversity and health behavior in older people living alone in Japan.DesignA cross-sectional, multilevel survey was designed. The questionnaire was distributed by mail and self-completed by participants.SettingThe sample was drawn from seven towns and cities across Japan.ParticipantsA geographic information system was used to select the sample of older people living alone, by proximity to a supermarket. In total, 2,346 older people (827 men and 1,519 women) completed the questionnaire.MeasurementsThe dependent variable was whether shopping was easy or difficult. A logistic regression analysis was performed, adjusting for age, socioeconomic status and proximity of residence to a supermarket using stepwise variable analyses.ResultsThe response rate was 67.8%. Overall, 14.5% of men and 21.7% of women considered shopping difficult. The stepwise logistic analysis showed that the factors most strongly related to shopping difficulty were a subjective feeling of poor health (men: OR = 3.01, women: OR = 2.16) and lack of satisfaction with meals (men: OR = 2.82, women: OR = 3.69). Other related physical condition and dietary factors were requiring nursing care (men: OR = 3.69, women: OR = 1.54), a high level of frailty, measured using the frailty index score (women: OR = 0.36) and low food diversity score (men: OR = 1.84, women: OR = 1.36).ConclusionThe study found that older people’s assessment of their shopping difficulty was related to satisfaction aspects, including a subjective feeling of poor health, and lack of satisfaction with meals, as well as physical condition. These have a greater influence on shopping difficulty than income in both sexes, and proximity to a supermarket in women.

Dietary intake and weight status of urban Thai preadolescents in the context of food environment

Little attention has been devoted to the importance of understanding the association between dietary intake and childhood obesity in Thailand. This study aimed to explore food types affecting the weight status of preadolescents in urban settings, where obesity is remarkably prevalent. This study was conducted in 2015–2016 and assessed the dietary intake of 263 children aged 10–12 years from Bangkok Metropolitan Regions through three- nonconsecutive-day 24 h recall. Lifestyle and sociodemographic information was obtained using questionnaires. Participants were classified into non-obese and overweight/obese groups based on the WHO child growth standard curve. Foods were categorized into 13 groups based on Thailands dietary guidelines and food environment context regarding two eating occasions (main and between meals) of children, which resulted in the newly classified “street-side snacks”. Data were examined using analysis of covariance and multiple linear regression analysis. After adjusting for sex and energy misreporting, overweight/obese participants had higher energy and macronutrient intake and consumed more cereal grains, meat/fish, flavored milk, and sugar-sweetened beverages during main meals and street-side snacks and confectioneries during between meals than non-obese participants. The consumption of street-side snacks had the highest beta coefficient on BMI z-scores among the food types in the model, adjusted further for energy intakes. Street-side snacks may be an important predictor of obesity in Thai children. A prospective investigation of the impact of accessibility and availability of this food item is needed.

Cohort study examining the association between vegetable consumption and weight gain in a single year among Japanese employees at a manufacturing company.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES 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. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN 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). RESULTS 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). CONCLUSIONS 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.

Subjective Well-Being Is Associated with Food Behavior and Demographic Factors in Chronically Ill Older Japanese People Living Alone

ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the relationships among subjective well-being, food and health behaviors, socioeconomic factors, and geography in chronically ill older Japanese adults living alone.DesignThe design was a cross-sectional, multilevel survey. A questionnaire was distributed by post and self-completed by participants.SettingThe sample was drawn from seven towns and cities across Japan.ParticipantsA geographic information system was used to select a representative sample of older people living alone based on their proximity to a supermarket. Study recruitment was conducted with municipal assistance.MeasurementsTo assess subjective well-being and food and health behaviors of respondents with disease, a logistic regression analysis was performed using stepwise variable analyses, adjusted for respondent age, socioeconomic status, and proximity to a supermarket. The dependent variable was good or poor subjective well-being.ResultsIn total, 2,165 older people (744 men, 1,421 women) completed the questionnaire (63.5% response rate). Data from 737 men and 1,414 women were used in this study. Among people with a chronic disease, individuals with good subjective well-being had significantly higher rates than those with poor subjective well-being for satisfaction with meal quality and chewing ability, food diversity, food intake frequency, perception of shopping ease, having someone to help with food shopping, eating home-produced vegetables, preparing breakfast themselves, eating with other people, and high alcohol consumption. A stepwise logistic analysis showed that the factors strongly related to poor subjective well-being were shopping difficulty (men: odds ratio [OR] = 3.19, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.94–5.23; P < 0.0001; women: OR = 2.20, 95% CI, 1.54–3.14; P < 0.0001), not having someone to help with food shopping (women: OR = 1.41, 95% CI, 1.01–1.97; P = 0.043), not preparing breakfast (women: OR = 2.36, 95% CI, 1.40–3.98; P = 0.001), and eating together less often (women: OR = 1.99, 95% CI, 1.32–3.00; P = 0.002).ConclusionSubjective well-being of people with chronic diseases is associated with food intake and food behavior. The factors that affect poor subjective well-being in chronically ill older Japanese people living alone include food accessibility and social communication.

Relationship between rice consumption and body weight gain in Japanese workers: white versus brown rice/multigrain rice

Increasing obesity rates have driven research into dietary support for body weight control, but previous studies have only assessed changes in body weight of ±3 kg. We investigated the relationships between white or brown/multi-grain rice consumption and 1-year body weight gain ≥3 kg in Japanese factory workers (n = 437). Routine medical check-up data from a 1-year nutrition and lifestyle cohort study were analysed. Participants were divided into white rice and brown/multi-grain rice consumption groups and further classified by tertile of rice consumption. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed by tertile. At 1 year, high white rice consumption was significantly associated with increased risk of body weight gain ≥3 kg compared with low white rice consumption, maintained after adjustment for age, sex, and consumption of other obesogenic foods (p = 0.034). In the brown/multi-grain rice consumption group, however, there was no significant difference in risk between high and low consumption, even after multi-variate adjustment (p = 0.387). The consumption of white rice, but not brown rice/multi-grain rice, was positively correlated with the risk of a 1-year body weight gain of 3 kg or more. This suggests that brown rice/multi-grain rice consumption is useful for body weight control among Japanese workers.

“Eating together” is associated with food behaviors and demographic factors of older Japanese people who live alone

ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the relationships between eating together and subjective health, frailty, food behaviors, food accessibility, food production, meal preparation, alcohol intake, socioeconomic factors and geography among older Japanese people who live alone.DesignA cross-sectional, multilevel survey was designed. The questionnaire was distributed by post and self-completed by participants.SettingThe sample was drawn from seven towns and cities across Japan.ParticipantsA geographic information system was used to select a representative sample of older people who lived alone based on their proximity to a supermarket. Recruitment for the study was conducted with municipal assistance.MeasurementsA logistic regression analysis was performed that adjusted for the respondent’s age, socioeconomic status and proximity to a supermarket using stepwise variable analyses. The dependent variable was whether the respondent ate together more or less than once a month.ResultsIn total, 2,196 older people (752 men and 1,444 women) completed the questionnaire (63.5% response rate). It was found that 47.1% of men and 23.9% of women ate together less than once a month. Those who ate together less than once a month had a significantly lower rate of subjective health, food diversity and food intake frequency than those who ate together more often. A stepwise logistic analysis showed that the factors most strongly related to eating together less than once a month were not having any food shopping assistance (men: OR = 3.06, women: OR = 2.71), not receiving any food from neighbors or relatives (men: OR = 1.74, women: OR = 1.82), daily alcohol intake (women: OR = 1.83), frailty (men: OR = 0.48) and income (men: OR = 2.16, women: OR = 1.32).ConclusionEating together is associated with subjective health and food intake. Factors that affect how often older Japanese people who live alone eat together include food accessibility, daily alcohol intake, frailty and a low income.

Physical and social determinants of dietary variety among older adults living alone in Japan

Food security and sufficient nutrient intake are critical to longevity and active aging. The present study aimed to elucidate physical and social factors related to dietary variety among single‐living older adults in Japanese communities.