2010 Volume 21 Issue 3 Pages 189-198
Young female students were divided into two groups, those who living at home and the others living away from home, and their consumption of food groups on different time zones and intake of various nutrients were compared. To find the relationship between the habit of skipping breakfast and time zones of meal intake, the subjects of the study-193 students majoring in food and nutrition or enrolled in a nutrition course at a junior college in Tokyo were requested to respond to “meal menu and intake time-based food frequency questionnaire (MMITQ).”
Compared with those students living at home (n=133), the students living away from home (n=60) were found to consume significantly less quantities of seafood and vegetables. Among the nutrients, the intake of vitamins C and D by the latter group was significantly lower (p<0.05). The habit of breakfast-skipping was noted in 11.3% (n=15) of those students living at home and 13.3% (n=8) of those living away from home, with no significant difference between the two groups. Among the breakfast-skippers who lived away from home, 68.9% of the daily energy was taken exclusively in the time zone after 4 : 00 pm. In the same time zone, their consumption of soy beans and soy products was greater than that of those living at home, and their intake of total lipids and magnesium was also high. There was no significant difference between the groups vis--vis the habits of snacking at night. Of 54.9% who habitually snacked at night, many consumed more than 2 types of food at night (20.7%).
This study indicated the status of the diet that needs to be improved even for students who major in nutrition. Attention should be directed to the potential risk of nutrient deficiency that threatens those who live away from home and those habitually skip breakfast.
