Summary We estimated the intake of individual flavonoids in a cross sectional study and clarified the major sources contributing to the flavonoid levels in the middle-aged Japanese women by a 24-h weighed dietary record study. The subjects included in the study were 516 free-living women. Each subject completed a 24-h weighed dietary record and received a health check-up. We used the Functional Food Factor database for estimating the intake of 5 major flavonoid intakes, i.e. flavan-3-ols, isoflavones, flavonols, flavanones and flavones. The mean intake of flavan-3-ols, isoflavones, flavonols, flavanones and flavones was 1277, 216, 58, 31 and 15 μmol/d, respectively. The richest source of flavan-3-ols was green tea. The 3 major food sources of isoflavone were the processed soy foods and those of flavonol were the onion, moroheiya (nalta jute) and Japanese radish leaves. Grapefruit and citrus fruit juices were the major sources of flavanones, and tsurumurasaki (malabar spinach), green pepper and grapefruit were the main sources of flavone. Furthermore, analysis of sub-samples from middle-aged Japanese women indicated that there may be an association between flavonoid intake and the levels of oxidized LDL, which might be related to the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.

Breakfast skipping was significantly associated with obesity among elderly. Poor diet quality and physical inactivity may be potential intermediators underlying the association between breakfast skipping and obesity.

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Melatonin secretion was significantly associated with muscle strength in this elderly population. Further longitudinal studies are needed to ascertain the effect of melatonin levels on muscle strength.

Going outside the house was nationally restricted among countries affected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of breakfast skipping among female college students during the COVID-19 emergency period. The cross-sectional survey was conducted from May 15, 2020, to June 1, 2020, among 164 female junior college students through the online survey using Google Form. Population of breakfast skipping during the emergency (26.7%) was significantly increased compared with that before the emergency (10.9%; P < .001). Interestingly, breakfast skipping during the emergency was a significant independent determinant for ≥1 to 2 kg of weight loss during the emergency (odds ratio = 7.09; 95% confidence interval = 1.88-26.75; P = .004) in participants who did not skip breakfast at the pre-emergency. The prevalence of breakfast skipping during the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly higher than that before the emergency in female college students. Breakfast skipping during the emergency was associated with short-term weight loss.

Objective This study investigated the relationship between diet and frailty in community-dwelling older adults during the period of restriction on outings due to COVID-19. A population of 322 women aged 65 years or older living in the community was recruited for the study, of whom 253 were analyzed. Method A mail survey was carried out in May 2020, targeting adults aged 65 years or older. The survey included questions regarding sex, age, height, weight, and social participation. Dietary variety score and frailty score were also calculated. Results Mean age for the 253 participants was 80.0±6.4 years. Dietary variety score and frailty score were significantly correlated under linear regression analysis (β :-0.224, P &lt; 0.001). In multivariate regression analysis, these factors remained significantly correlated in Model 2 , which was adjusted for age (β :-0.229, P &lt; 0.001), and Model 3, which was adjusted for age, BMI, and other confounding factors (β :-0.208, P = 0.001). Conclusion Diet was correlated with frailty in older adults living in the community during the period of restriction on outings due to COVID-19.

Muscle strength and gait speed are related with functional limitations and disabilities and also predict cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in regulating physiological process in skeletal muscles; however, the association between serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) level, an endogenous competitive inhibitor of NO synthesis, and physical performance has not yet been studied. We investigated the associations of serum ADMA level with muscle strength and usual gait speed in a cross-sectional study of 550 elderly individuals (mean age, 71.2 AE 6.6 years). Mean ADMA level was 0.45 AE 0.06 mmol/L; mean grip and quadriceps strengths were 27.7 AE 8.4 kg and 165.1 AE 81.6 Nm, respectively; and mean gait speed was 1.37 AE 0.30 m/s. In multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted for potential confounding factors (age, gender, body weight, smoking and drinking status, household income, hypertension, diabetes, renal function, and physical activity), higher serum ADMA level was significantly associated with lower grip and quadriceps strengths and slower gait speed (grip strength: b, -1.257; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.990 to -0.525; p ¼ 0.001; quadriceps strength: b, -11.730; 95% CI, -20.924 to -2.536; p ¼ 0.012; gait speed: b, -0.065; 95% CI, -0.108 to -0.022; p ¼ 0.003). Our findings indicate the significant association between serum ADMA level and physical performance among elderly individuals, which was independent of the important potential confounders.

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