Education, but not occupation or household income, is positively related to favorable dietary intake patterns in pregnant Japanese women: the Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study.

Although a large body of epidemiologic data accumulated in Western countries show that individuals with a higher socioeconomic position consume higher quality diets, information on such socioeconomic differences in the diets of non-Western populations, including Japanese, is absolutely lacking. This cross-sectional study examined the association of socioeconomic position with dietary intake in a group of pregnant Japanese women. Subjects were 1002 Japanese women during pregnancy. Socioeconomic position was assessed by education, occupation, and household income. Dietary intake was estimated using a validated, self-administered, comprehensive diet history questionnaire. Education was associated positively with intake of protein; total n-3 and marine-origin n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; dietary fiber; cholesterol; potassium; calcium; magnesium; iron; vitamins A, D, E, and C; and folate 9 and inversely with that of carbohydrate. No associations were seen between education and intake of total fat; saturated, monounsaturated, and total and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids; alcohol; or sodium. Regarding food, higher education was associated with a higher intake of vegetables, fish and shellfish, and potatoes and lower intake of rice. Education was not associated with intake of bread, noodles, confectioneries and sugars, fats and oils, pulses and nuts, meat, eggs, dairy products, or fruit. For occupation, housewives had a higher intake of dietary fiber, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, folate, and pulses and nuts than working women. Household income was not associated with any nutrient or food examined. In conclusion, education, but not occupation or household income, was positively associated with favorable dietary intake patterns in a group of pregnant Japanese women.