We investigated whether or not an intervention of providing food information improves serum Zn levels in ninety-two 18-20-year-old Japanese women. The mean serum Zn level of the participants was 73.09 ± 10.56 (mean ± SD) μg/dL, where 79 % of the participants had lower than the reference Zn level (80 μg/dL) proposed by the Japan Society for Biomedical Research on Trace Elements. Participants were divided into food information (INF) group, supplement (SPL) group, and control (C) group, and their serum Zn levels were measured before and after 2 weeks of intervention. The results showed that changes in serum Zn levels were (expressed in μg/dL): 71.23 ± 8.42 to 76.83 ± 12.22 in INF group (NS; not significant), 72.72 ± 10.77 to 84.07 ± 12.03 in SPL group (P < 0.01), and 72.69 ± 9.46 to 74.52 ± 11.44 in C group (NS). Percentage of normal subjects in serum Zn level (>79 mg/dL) were significantly increased in INF group (16.7 to 40%, P < 0.05) and SPL group (17.2 to 69%, P < 0.001) by each intervention. Food information only entailed a table of food items with high Zn content (card-type) and Zn intake menu (recipes). The results suggested that providing food information is effective in improving latent low Zn in young Japanese women.

This study was carried out (i) to reveal problems in the awareness of eating habits among college students majoring in education, using the Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top; and (ii) to assess the changes in awareness among the students after under taking a proposed dietar y education program. A sur vey incorporating the Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top revealed that the daily dietar y intake of the students was inadequate with the exception of their intake from the fish and meat group, which includes meat, fish, egg, and soybean dishes. Given the intake of between-meal snacks, the number of servings was calculated. We found that in terms of energy intake, snacking influenced intake of staple foods i.e., the grain group, which includes rice, bread, noodles, and pasta. Then, we of fered the students a dietary education program on the staple diet. After participating in the program, the students scored higher in all areas of knowledge of the staple diet. They retained this knowledge 6months later. Therefore, we suggested that the dietar y education program is effective in increasing knowledge and awareness of the staple diet and between-meal snacks.