Objective: Due to the reported inappropriate use of dietary supplements, dissemination of accurate knowledge on dietary supplements is necessary. ​Therefore, we sought to develop an information leaflet about dietary supplements for young women.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 230 women's university or college students from October to November 2015. ​We investigated their perception and use of dietary supplements, personality, and food intake. ​First, we classified the perceptions about dietary supplements by cluster analysis. ​Then, we examined the relationships of the obtained clusters with the other items. Finally, we created a Yes or No chart to infer their perceptions about dietary supplements using these items. ​The usability of the leaflet that had the chart was evaluated by 190 women's college students in November 2017.

Results: The perceptions about dietary supplements were classified into three clusters, and an approximate guess was possible based on the chart. ​In addition, our leaflet led to changes in the perception of dietary supplements among women's college students.

Conclusion: This leaflet may be useful for providing information and education based on the perception of dietary supplements.

Objective: To improve the "Cooking Courses for Men," which have been conducted for men for over 20 years in the suburbs of Tokyo, we conducted a questionnaire survey to determine the food attitudes and behaviors of participants.

Methods: The "Cooking Courses for Men" was a living care prevention course series sponsored by the C Welfare Public Corporation from 2007 to 2016. We analyzed the results of 87 men aged 50 years or over who answered a questionnaire administered at the end of the course. The course consisted of nutrition lectures and cooking lessons, which were delivered 5 times a year. The questionnaire was used to collect data on reasons for participation, cooking at home, menus, change in food attitudes, course satisfaction, and number of lessons.

Results: To acquire cooking skills (28 participants) and to make friends after retirement (12 participants) were frequently cited as reasons for participation. Menus that were described as good and difficult were quite similar, and 45 tried to cook the menu at home. Fifty-four participants answered that their feelings toward eating changed after participation. These changes occurred in such areas as interest in cooking, cooking techniques, and feelings toward cooking. Sixty-three participants were satisfied with the course.

Conclusions: Most participants were highly motivated and wanted to try a difficult but satisfying menu. The survey results revealed that nearly half of the participants had cooked at home, and their interest in cooking and cooking techniques increased. A cooking course for middle-aged to elderly men may enable its participants to acquire skills to prepare food by themselves.

Objective: Participants were divided into two groups. To evaluate the effect of the boxed meals on blood pressure, one group was given a DASH diet boxed meal once a day and the other group twice a day (both with ordinary meals taken in the remaining mealtimes). We also analyzed energy and nutrient intake and blood biochemical test results to identify factors contributing to blood pressure improvement effects from the meal.

Methods: This was an intervention study without a control. Thirty-one participants took either one or two DASH diet boxed meals per day for 12 weeks, from September to November 2014. Physical examinations, blood pressure measurements, calculations of nutrient intake, and blood biochemical analyses were performed before, during, and after the intervention.

Results: Although there was a tendency for blood pressure to decrease during the DASH diet boxed meals intake period, no statistically significant difference was found in either group after the intervention. However, serum potassium concentration was increased. Only during the intervention were lipids and saturated fatty acids in both groups within the estimated average requirement (EAR). While intake of potassium, calcium, and magnesium increased during the intervention in both groups, potassium intake reached the EAR and intake of calcium and magnesium exceeded the "recommended dietary allowance" only in the group taking the boxed meal twice daily.

Conclusions: In order to verify the blood pressure improvement effects of DASH diet boxed meals, it is necessary to examine with a sufficient sample size.