Demographics, health-related behaviors, eating habits and knowledge associated with vegetable intake in Japanese adults.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze demographic, health-related behaviors, eating habit and knowledge associated with vegetable intake.


METHODS
Secondary analyses using the dataset from the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2003. Food intake data measured by the food-weighing method in one-day and a questionnaire assessed the dietary intake and health-related behaviors, eating habit and knowledge. This study was made in Japan. The data of 1742 men and 2519 nonpregnant/nonlactating women, aged 20-69 years, energy intake between percentiles 1 and 99 were included. Vegetable intake was analyzed according to the Japanese vegetable recommendation (>or=350 g/day) after age adjustment.


RESULTS
Average of VI was 307 g/day in men and 297 g/day in women. Only 35% of men and 31% of women met the recommended amount of vegetable intake. Japanese from city areas, aged 60-69 years, had the highest vegetable intake and subjects from metropolitan areas had the lowest vegetable intake. Depending on the age groups, risks for low vegetable intake in Japanese were found in subjects with skipping meals, alcohol intake and history of smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
To increase vegetable intake, it is necessary to provide more nutritional education and lifestyle-related diseases education.
Wakita Asano
A
A
Center for Collaboration and Partnership, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan. keywakita@yahoo.com
Hayashi
F
F
Miyoshi
M
M
Arai
Y
Y
Yoshita
K
K
Yamamoto
S
S
Yoshiike
N
N
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult