Dietary Patterns and Nutritional Health in Japanese Populations

Japanese dietary patterns have long been characterised by a predominance of plant-based foods, particularly vegetables, seaweeds and soy products, complemented by regular consumption of fish and seafood. This traditional framework, often known as Washoku, emphasises umami-rich seasonings such as miso, soy sauce and dashi broths, while maintaining relatively low levels of red meat, saturated fat and sugar. In recent decades, however, national surveys reveal a gradual shift towards more Westernised eating habits, with increased intake of meat, dairy products and refined carbohydrates. Such transitions have been accompanied by rises in obesity, hypertension and type 2 diabetes among younger cohorts, even as older generations retain patterns linked to longevity. Indeed, regional studies of Okinawa demonstrate that individuals born before the Second World War continue to exhibit exceptionally low mortality rates, whereas more recent birth cohorts show mortality convergence with the mainland, suggesting that dietary and lifestyle changes are crucial determinants of health trajectories. Nutritional epidemiology in Japan has further developed tools such as dietary indexes and profiling systems to capture overall diet quality and predict risks of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Public health efforts now focus on promoting the prudent elements of the traditional diet, adapting them to modern lifestyles, and addressing misinformation about salt and nutrient intakes that may undermine the benefits of tried and tested eating models.

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Technical terms

Japanese Diet Score: Composite measure summing intake levels of key foods characteristic of the traditional Japanese diet, including fish, soy products, vegetables, seaweed, fruits and green tea.

Meiji Nutritional Profiling System (Meiji NPS): Dietary assessment tool that assigns scores to individual diets based on nutrient and food group composition to predict health outcomes.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD): Condition characterised by narrowing of coronary arteries due to atherosclerotic plaque, leading to impaired blood flow to the heart muscle.

Dietary Index: Quantitative measure reflecting overall dietary quality, often energy-weighted and derived from nutrient profiling systems.

References

1. Exceptional longevity in Okinawa: Demographic trends since 1975. Journal of Internal Medicine (2024).
2. The relationship between the dietary index based Meiji nutritional profiling system for adults and lifestyle-related diseases: a predictive validity study from the National Institute for Longevity Sciences—Longitudinal Study of Aging. Frontiers in Nutrition (2024).
3. Association between the Japanese Diet and Coronary Artery Disease in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography. Nutrients (2023).
4. The Role of the Japanese Traditional Diet in Healthy and Sustainable Dietary Patterns around the World. Nutrients (2018).
5. Thirteen-Year Trends in Dietary Patterns among Japanese Adults in the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2003–2015: Continuous Westernization of the Japanese Diet. Nutrients (2018).