Food and nutrition education focused on the diversity of intestinal microbiota in Japanese children

• Project/Area Number: 18K13025
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 08030:Family and consumer sciences, and culture and living-related
• Research Institution: Kio University
• Principal Investigator: Shibata Mitsuru 畿央大学, 健康科学部, 助教 (80460939)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2023)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥260,000 (Direct Cost: ¥200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥60,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
• Keywords: 幼稚園児 / 腸内細菌叢 / 食育 / 日本人幼児

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the intestinal microbiota and eating habits of preschool 4-5 year old children from the perspective of intestinal microbiota diversity, and to clarify whether food and nutrition education can increase the diversity of the intestinal microbiota. A significant increase in butyrate-producing bacteria such as Lachnospiraceae and Roseburia was observed in children with a high degree of Japanese diet-type eating habits, suggesting that Japanese diet-type eating habits have a positive effect on the intestinal microbiota.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

食生活が偏っている幼児がすべて肥満の状態にある訳ではなく、食育による保護者への食習慣改善の動機づけは難しいことが多い。本研究において、日本食型食習慣の度合いが高い幼児は、健康長寿者に多い酪酸産生菌が多いことが明らかになったことにより、将来の生活習慣病予防に向けた幼児期の食習慣改善の大きな動機づけになることが期待できる。