Proposal of a new dietary education program for post-adolescent women in accordance with circadian rhythm

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24501022
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Eating habits, studies on eating habits
• Research Institution: Ashiya College
• Principal Investigator: FUJIWARA Tomoko 芦屋学園短期大学, その他部局等, 教授 (60310744)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NAKATA Rieko 奈良女子大学, 生活環境科学系, 講師 (90198119) ; FUJIWARA Hiroshi 金沢大学, 医学系, 教授 (30252456)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ポスト思春期 / 食生活リズム / 若年女性 / 生殖機能 / 食育プログラム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

On the basis of the novel concept that diet habits during the adolescence influence the subsequent QOL of women of the reproductive ages, we conducted the questionnaire survey and examined food nutritional analysis for female college students of 18-20 years old. We also investigated the relationship between the timing of food intake restriction and estrous cycle using young adult female rats. The results by students showed that the most had 20% lower calories take in and breakfast skipping adversely affects reproductive functions. Animal experiments showed that estrous cycles of the rats that were starved during the daytime (non-active phase) were more impaired than those during the night (active phase), giving a caution that the timing of food consumption in daily life can affect reproductive function in the young females. These findings will contribute to establishing a new dietary education program to reduce the adverse effects of diets on reproductive functions in young women.

Free Research Field

食生活学