A nutrition study on 649 men ranging in age from 35 to 64 years was conducted by investigating the relationship between calcium/total energy (Ca/E), potassium/total energy (K/E) and magnesium/total energy (Mg/E) ratios and food intake and the dietary habits relevant to obesity. The following results were obtained.
1) The groups with higher Ca/E, K/E and Mg/E respectively showed higher intake of vegetables, legumes, fishes and seaweeds and less grains and meats than the corresponding groups with low values.
2) In those with higher Ca/E, K, phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) intakes tended to show higher values. In those with higher K/E, Ca, Mg and P intakes also increased. Increase in Mg/E was accompanied by the increase tendencies of Ca, K, P, Fe, zinc and copper intakes.
3) In the subjects with a greater number of dietary habits that may result in obesity, Ca/E, K/E and Mg/E decreased increasingly.
4) The subjects who were indifferent to foods and who answered that they ate meals until they felt full were dominant in the groups with low Ca/E, K/E or Mg/E. Many subjects in the group with low Ca/E skipped breakfast, whereas in the groups with low K/E and Mg/E, many had late night snacks.
5) The above result suggests that indices reflecting the balance of mineral intakes such as Ca, K and Mg per total energy are useful in making objective judgments on the quality of nutrient consumption.

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Comparison of the accepted values, listed food items and other characteristics in two dietary fiber tables which were published respectively by Science and Technology Agency of Japan (Table 1) and Japan Association of Prefectural and Municipal Public Health Institutes (Table 2) was carried out. In order to ascertain the effects of differences, the dietary fiber intake was calculated based on the food intake data of female students using the two tables. The results obtained were as follows:
1) Two hundred and twenty seven food items were listed in Table 1, and 231 items in Table 2. A total of 119 items were listed in both tables.
2) The number of plant foods in Table 1 was greater than that in Table 2. Animal foods were listed only in the latter table.
3) The daily intakes by female students of dietary fiber calculated using Tables 1 and 2 were 13.62g and 13.42g respectively. Results were not significantly different from each other.
4) The daily intakes of water-soluble and -insoluble dietary fibers were 2.51g and 10.77g respectively. In addition, dietary fiber intake from seaweed was 0.34g.
Since the values of dietary fiber intake calculated using these two tables are not significantly different, it is concluded that either table can be used without problems.

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The calcium, phosphorus and magnesium status of elderly people was studied on 23 healthy men (74.1±2.9 years old, mean±SD) and 16 healthy women (71.9±2.5 years old) living in Kyoto. We carried out balance studies and dietary surveys by the weighing method for three consecutive days. The mean daily intakes of energy and nutrients fulfilled the recommended dietary allowance for the Japanese of their sex, age, weight and degree of physical activities except for women's iron. The mean daily intakes of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium for men per kilogram of body weight were 10.7±4.4, 18.7±4.8 and 3.62±1.30mg respectively. For women, the mean daily intakes of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium were 11.2±5.0, 18.4±4.0 and 4.05±1.42mg respectively. One fourth of the calcium intake came from milk, milk products and other sources such as shellfish, legumes and vegetables. The apparent absorption of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium were significantly correlated with fecal dry weight. Women's absorption rate of calcium (2±38%) was lower than men's (23±30%). The mean calcium balance was approximately at equilibrium (-0.6±3.0mg/kg) for men and negative (-1.8±4.1mg/kg) for women. The apparent absorption rate of phosphorus was about 60%, indicating that phosphorus was approximately balanced in both sexes. The apparent absorption rate of magnesium was about 15% in both sexes.

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[in Japanese]

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