Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK.
Public Health Nutr. 2022 Jun;25(6):1515-1527. doi: 10.1017/S1368980021000975. Epub 2021 Mar 5.
Although there is growing evidence suggesting that eating patterns are important determinants of health status, comprehensive information on patterning of eating behaviours is almost lacking. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe eating patterns in Japan.
Information on actual eating behaviours was collected using 2-d dietary record in each season over a year (total 8 d). Eating occasions were defined as any discrete intake occasion (with a discrete start clock time and name) except for eating occasions consisting of water only, which were excluded.
Japan.
A nationwide sample of 4032 Japanese aged 1-79 years.
The mean value of eating frequency of meals (i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner), snacks and total eating occasions was 2·94, 1·74 and 4·68 times/d, respectively. The mean clock time for the start of breakfast, lunch and dinner was 07.24, 12.29 and 19.15 h, respectively. The mean time spent consuming breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks was 19, 25, 34 and 27 min/d, respectively. On average, variability (i.e. average of absolute difference from mean) of meal frequency was small compared with that of snack frequency and total eating frequency. Both mean variability of clock time for the start of eating (<1 h) and mean variability of time spent on meals (<10 min/d) were also small. Conversely, mean variability of time spent on snacks was large (>18 min/d).
The present findings serve as both a reference and an indication for future research on patterning of eating behaviours.
尽管越来越多的证据表明，饮食模式是健康状况的重要决定因素，但有关饮食行为模式的综合信息几乎缺乏。本横断面研究的目的是描述日本的饮食模式。
使用 2 天饮食记录在每个季节收集实际饮食行为信息，共 8 天。进食次数定义为任何离散的摄入次数（有离散的起始时钟时间和名称），但仅由水组成的进食次数除外。
日本。
来自日本的年龄在 1 至 79 岁之间的 4032 名参与者。
餐食（即早餐、午餐和晚餐）、零食和总进食次数的平均频率分别为 2.94、1.74 和 4.68 次/d；早餐、午餐和晚餐开始的平均时钟时间分别为 07:24、12:29 和 19:15 h；早餐、午餐、晚餐和零食的平均消耗时间分别为 19、25、34 和 27 min/d。平均而言，与零食频率和总进食频率相比，餐食频率的可变性（即平均值与平均值的绝对差异）较小。进食开始的时钟时间的平均可变性（<1 h）和餐食时间的平均可变性（<10 min/d）也较小。相反，零食消耗时间的平均可变性较大（>18 min/d）。
本研究结果为未来研究饮食行为模式提供了参考和指示。
