Dietary Intake and Its Patterns Across Summer and Winter Seasons in Hokkaido, Japan

• Published in: Current developments in nutrition Vol. 5; no. Supplement_2; p. 1098
• Main Authors: Tousen, Yuko, Mizushima, Ryoko, Kurotani, Kayo, Nishihira, Jun, Takimoto, Hidemi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.06.2021; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Nutritional Epidemiology
• ISSN: 2475-2991; 2475-2991
• DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzab053_091

The Japanese diet pattern is closely associated with seasonal supply, but there are limited studies on how seasonal changes affect dietary intake in Japan. Hokkaido, located in the northernmost tip of Japan, is a region with abundant dairy and agricultural produce. The diet in Hokkaido may be sensitive to the seasonal supply. This study aimed to assess the effect of seasons on the intake of different nutrients and food groups among the adults of Hokkaido, Japan. This study examined the data of adults aged 20–79 years, who participated in the “Sukoyaka-kenko-chosa,” a longitudinal study in Hokkaido, Japan. The participants completed a 1-day dietary food record, and all meals were recorded using a digital camera. Food consumption data were collected from 521 participants in summer and winter in 2019. Intake of various nutrients and food groups were estimated and compared between the two seasons. The nutrient intake of the participants was found to be lower in carbohydrates but higher in calcium and fat as compared to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey results in Japan. On the other hand, seasonal variations were found between summer and winter. The consumption of vegetables and dairy products was lower in winter than in summer, but that of cereals was higher in winter. The intake of vitamin K, folic acid, and potassium was lower and that of carbohydrates was higher in winter than in summer. Seasonal changes of dietary intake were observed in Hokkaido, Japan. Our results suggest that the estimation method of the average dietary intake across the whole year by conducting dietary survey in one season only is insufficient and warrants further study. This work was supported by Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation promotion Program (SIP), “Technologies for Smart Bo-industry and Agriculture” (funding agency: Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement institution, NARO).