Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education
Open Access

Abstract

Statement of the Problem: There has been increased concern regarding taste disorder in young Japanese women. The most commonly reason for this increase was relevant to their dietary habits. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between taste perception, and nutritional intake in young Japanese women. Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Participants (n=74) were young women in their late teens and twenties. Taste perception was measured by electro-gustometry and the filter-paper disc method (FPD method) over areas of the chorda tympani nerve and glossopharyngeal nerve. Nutritional status was evaluated by brief, self-administered diet history questionnaires. The index of nutritional status was based on 2015 dietary reference intakes for Japan. This study was approved by the ethical committee at Osaka University. Findings: There were no abnormalities in relation to taste perception in electro-gustometry. However, 33 (44.6%) were abnormalities in the FPD method. There were no significant differences in the nutritional intake between normal taste perception group and abnormal taste perception group. The subjects who took from 5 mg to 7 mg zinc per day were significantly at decreased risk of abnormal taste perception compared with subjects who took below 5 mg zinc per day [odds ratio 0.094, 95% confidence interval 0.010-0.873]. In this study, about 50% of all participants had problems with taste perception. Conclusion: The present result suggested abnormality in taste perception was associated with zinc deficiency in young women in their late teen and twenties. Further studies are needed in order to eat well-balanced diet in order to effectively take zinc for young Japanese women.

Biography

Tomoko Miyake is pursuing her PhD in Health Sciences, Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Japan. She has experience of working as a Midwife for 5 years at General Hospital in Kobe, Japan. She has completed her Master’s degree in Health Sciences from Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, in 2016. Her current research interests are to educate eating a balanced diet for Japanese reproductive-aged women and to promote their nutritional status and dietary behavior.