2025 Volume 78 Issue 1 Pages 13-19
The National Health and Nutritional Survey (NHNS) comprises three components: a dietary survey, a physical examination survey, and a lifestyle habits survey. The aim of the NHNS is to clarify the physical conditions, nutrient intake, and lifestyle of the Japanese population, and to obtain basic data for the comprehensive promotion of public health. The role of the NHNS in establishing Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) has two aspects: formulation and utilization. In terms of formulation, the values obtained from the NHNS are used as representative values for the Japanese population in setting reference values such as adequate intake (AI) and tentative dietary goal for preventing lifestyle-related diseases (DG). However, due to recent changes in the social environment such as increases in the frequency of eating out and eating prepared meals, issues related to the formulation are emerging, such as the declining rate of cooperation with the NHNS. On the other hand, in terms of utilization, as the dietary survey is conducted using the one-day dietary record method, care is needed when comparing it with the DRIs, which set standards for habitual intake by individuals. In this review, we introduce the role of the NHNS in nutrition policy and issues with public health nutrition including the DRIs.
