Nutrient intakes in relation to style of breakfast and taste preferences

Style of breakfast (western- or Japanese-style) and taste preferences were associated with various diseases in some epidemiological studies in Japan. To evaluate what are measured by asking these dietary behaviors, we administered semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) and asked style of breakfast and taste preferences to a subsample of residents in Takayama City, Gifu, Japan. Style of breakfast and total diet were studied in a random sample of 346 residents. There were no statistically significant differences in the nutrient intakes estimated from SFFQ between those with western- and Japanese-style of breakfast except for crude fiber. Taste preferences were asked to 555 men and 1,130 women who attended a health check-up program in the community. Salt intakes were slightly higher (< 3%) in those who had a favor for salty food than the others in both sexes. Fat or carbohydrate intake was similar between those stratified by preference for greasy or sweet foods. The data suggest that western-style of breakfast is not associated with western diet, in general, i.e., high-calorie and high-fat diet. Intakes of salt, fat, or carbohydrate appear to be unrelated to preferences for salty, greasy or sweet foods, respectively.