Iron Intake and Associated Factors in General Japanese Population: NIPPON DATA80, NIPPON DATA90 and National Nutrition Monitoring

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the dietary iron intake and associated other dietary factors and clinical characteristics among a representative sample cohort of Japanese population. METHODS We obtained data from NIPPON DATA80 and 90 that were conducted with the National Nutrition Surveys in 1980 and in 1990. Then we estimated nutrient and food intakes of individuals in the National Nutrition Survey of 1980 and that of 1990, which were adjusted on the basis of data of the National Nutrition Survey of 1995. Finally, we analyzed data for the 10,422 participants (4585 men and 5837 women) in NIPPON DATA80 and 8342 participants (3488 men and 4854 women) in NIPPON DATA90 having dietary iron intake information. RESULTS In NIPPON DATA80 and 90, there was a significant relationship between the dietary iron intake and age for both men and women. Dietary protein intake was associated with iron intake where as dietary fat intake did not show any association. Regarding the minerals, significant relationships were observed between the different minerals and dietary iron intake. Apart from the food group of milk and dairy products, there were significant differences in other food groups according to quintiles of iron intakes for men and women. CONCLUSIONS We described the mean dietary iron intake and its relation with other dietary factors and clinical characteristics in Japanese adults as the baseline data in NIPPON DATA80 and in NIPPON DATA90.