Objective: In this preliminary study, we evaluated differences in the emotional response (pleasantness/unpleasantness) of female college students when they sniffed representative food odors and food odors infused with ammonia at different food temperatures.

Methods: Food samples included broth made from nizakana and juice squeezed from a raw grapefruit; both were also infused with 0.1% ammonia for a total of four food sample types. We maintained the food temperature at 25°C or 55°C. Odorous substance was measured using the Fragrance and Flavor analyzer system. Subjects subjectively assessed how pleasant or unpleasant they found the smell of each food odor using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Results: When food samples were heated to 55°C, the VAS score decreased in pleasantness for nizakana broth, but remained consistent for grapefruit juice. Similarly, when food samples were maintained at 25°C, and infused with 0.1% ammonia, the VAS score decreased in pleasantness for nizakana broth and remained consistent for grapefruit juice. When food samples were heated to 55°C and infused with 0.1% ammonia, the VAS score for grapefruit juice decreased in pleasantness.

Conclusion: Grapefruit juice may neutralize or mask pungent odors, but the chemical reaction plateaus at a certain level. When heated, the non-neutralized pungent odorous substances may ascend into the nasal cavity, and arrive at the olfactory epithelial cells, decreasing pleasantness.

Objective: We conducted a survey among medical professionals and general consumers to clarify their knowledge and awareness about health foods and related health claims, as well as what information regarding these foods is most important to them.

Methods: A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among general consumers, pharmacists, registered dietitians, and midwives (1,502 respondents) from January to August 2015. The survey included questions about the knowledge, awareness, and image of health food. In this study, "health food" included all foods said to be "good for health." The statistical methods used were the χ² and Steel-Dwass tests.

Results: Although medical professionals had more accurate knowledge about health food than did general consumers, they also had a more negative image of it. Many respondents believed the national government is the best positioned to assess health food claims. Participants rated claims of "promotion of health" higher than "reduction of the risk of illness." All groups replied that information about the toxicity associated with excess intake of health foods is of greatest importance; however, the importance of safety information was most emphasized by midwives.

Conclusions: While the knowledge, awareness, and image of health food differed between general consumers and medical professionals, even the knowledge of medical professionals was insufficient. The degree of expectation regarding accrediting authorities and claims about the effectiveness of health foods differed by medical specialty.

Objective: This study aimed to develop a caregiver-based physical activity questionnaire to assess the energy requirement of elderly people living in nursing homes. Applicability was examined by comparing the questionnaire results with those obtained using a tri-axial accelerometer and a tilt angle monitor.

Methods: The study participants were 16 elderly people (1 man and 15 women) over 70 years old, living in three different nursing homes. This questionnaire was developed using the Compendium of Physical Activities 2011. Durations of body postures (lying, sitting, and standing) were assessed using the questionnaires written by caregivers, a tri-axial accelerometer, and a tilt angle monitor. Total physical activity was calculated by multiplying the duration of each body postures with their respective physical activity level (lying 1.0, sitting 1.4, and standing 1.8 METs).

Results: The durations of the body posture assessed using the questionnaires were 18.00, 5.75, and 0.50 h for lying, sitting, and standing, respectively. Total physical activity estimated using the questionnaire, tri-axial accelerometer, and tilt angle monitor were 26.50, 28.04, and 26.96 METs·h/day, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the total physical activity assessed through the three methods.

Conclusions: The caregiver-based questionnaire can be used for assessing the duration of the body postures for elderly people living in nursing homes.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the dietary treatment decisional balance of pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients by demographic characteristics.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was administered to 54 outpatients with CKD that visited a hospital in Tokyo from February to September 2016. First, the number of people distributed per item was calculated. Then, the total scores of pros, cons, sex, age, BMI (Body Mass Index), eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate), history of diabetes, and cooking personnel were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Demographic characteristics with significant differences or trends in total scores were compared to the scores of each item.

Results: Of the 54 participants, 27 (50.0%) were men. The total scores of the pros and cons were compared by demographic characteristics, and significant differences or trends were observed in the total score of cons of gender and cooking personnel (p = 0.034, p = 0.057, respectively). However, no significant differences were observed in the total score of pros. A significant difference was present between gender and the cons item, "Diet treatment takes time and requires effort to prepare and select meals." More men (4.0 [3.0, 5.0] 5.0) point) answered that it took more time and required effort to prepare meals than women (2.0 [2.0, 4.0] point; p = 0.02).

Conclusion: Although there were no differences according to the demographic characteristics in the pros of dietary treatment, it was suggested that the perception of the cons differ depending on the sex and cooking personnel of pre-dialysis CKD patients.