Original Article

International Journal of Obesity (2008) 32, 541–549; doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803737; published online 25 September 2007

Three major dietary patterns are all independently related to the risk of obesity among 3760 Japanese women aged 18–20 years

H Okubo1,2, S Sasaki2, K Murakami2, M K Kim3, Y Takahashi4, Y Hosoi2, M Itabashi2 and the Freshmen in Dietetic Courses Study II group5

  1. 1Department of Nutrition Sciences, Kagawa Nutrition University, Saitama, Japan
  2. 2Nutritional Epidemiology Program, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan
  3. 3Carcinogenesis Branch, Division of Basic Sciences, National Cancer Center, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
  4. 4Health Promotion and Exercise Program, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan

Correspondence: Dr S Sasaki, Nutritional Epidemiology Program, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8636, Japan. E-mail: stssasak@nih.go.jp

5Other members of the Freshmen in Dietetic Courses Study II Group have been listed previously (Eur J Clin Nutr 2007; 61: 616–622).

Received 23 January 2007; Revised 11 August 2007; Accepted 17 August 2007; Published online 25 September 2007.

Top

Abstract

Objective:

 

To examine associations between dietary patterns and obesity.

Design:

 

Cross-sectional study.

Subjects:

 

A total of 3760 Japanese female dietetic course students aged 18–20 years from 53 institutions in Japan.

Measurements:

 

Diet was assessed over a 1-month period with a validated self-administered diet history questionnaire with 148 food items, from which 30 food groups were created and entered into a factor analysis. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from self-reported body height and weight.

Results:

 

Mean BMI (plusminuss.d.) was 20.9plusminus2.8 kg m-2. Four dietary patterns were identified. After adjustment for several confounding factors and total energy intake, the 'Healthy' pattern, characterized by high intakes of vegetables, mushrooms, seaweeds, potatoes, fish and shellfish, soy products, processed fish, fruit and salted vegetables, was significantly associated with a lower risk of BMIgreater than or equal to25 (odds ratio of the highest quintile vs lowest, 0.57; 95% confidence interval: 0.37–0.87; P for trend <0.05). In contrast, the 'Japanese traditional' pattern, characterized by high intakes of rice, miso soup and soy products, and the 'Western' pattern, characterized by high intakes of meats, fats and oils, seasonings, processed meats and eggs, were both significantly associated with an increased risk of BMIgreater than or equal to25 (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.17–2.67; P for trend <0.01 and OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.01–2.40; P for trend=0.04, respectively).

Conclusion:

 

Three major dietary patterns, Healthy, Japanese traditional and Western, were all independently and significantly related to the risk of obesity even among a relatively lean young Japanese female population.

Keywords:

food-based dietary pattern, body mass index, young Japanese women, factor analysis, epidemiology

Extra navigation

.

naturejobs

More science jobs
Post a job for free

natureproducts


ADVERTISEMENT