The nutritional quality of diets in Japan is poorest among people from their teens to early 20s and relatively good among middle-age and older people, a multiyear survey by a research group at the University of Tokyo found. The results are believed to be linked to income and education levels, as well as the habit of skipping breakfast. The research group said that developing good dietary habits early in life and maintaining them could lead to good health in the long term.
From 2016 to 2020, the group asked a total of 4,455 Japanese people (or their guardians) age 1 to 79 in 32 prefectures to record their diets for a total of eight days, or two days in each season. The group, which includes project professor Hitomi Okubo, then assessed the diet records using two food balance indexes. The first index — based on food types, such as vegetables, fruits and dairy products — was lowest for men around the age of 23 and for women around 16.
The second index that is based on nutrient types such as vitamins and protein, was lowest for both men and women who were around 24. Among those age 1 to 17, the quality of their diets tended to be better at households with higher income levels or parents with higher education levels. Similar links were also observed among adult respondents.
Additionally, the habits of skipping breakfast and smoking cigarettes were related to poor diet quality. The group pointed out a possible link between lower diet quality among young people and changes in their living conditions due to school enrollment and employment.
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