Nutritional intake and metabolic parameters of Japanese university students with and without obesity: Sex-specific differences

Abstract

Objective To establish effective methods of obesity prevention among young adults, we analyzed the relationship between obesity-related food intake and metabolic factors in Japanese university students. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis of nutrient intake information and metabolic parameters among 1,206 Gifu University students categorized by body mass index. Results The overweight/obesity rate was significantly higher in males. Additionally, among males, the intake of protein, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, all lipids/fats, and all metabolic parameters including blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, uric acid, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and blood pressure significantly differed between the obese and non-obese groups. However, the same comparison among females revealed no significant differences in nutrient intake and significant differences in only half of the parameters. Among males, energy intake from protein and fat was significantly higher in the obese group, while the percentage of total energy intake from carbohydrates and fat was lower and higher, respectively, among females in the obese group. Conclusions Overeating of protein and fat in males and unbalanced nutrition in females are sex-specific characteristics of Japanese university students with obesity, and metabolic abnormalities in students with obesity are more remarkable in males than in females.

Inquiry of the Metabolic Traits in Relationship with Daily Magnesium Intake: Focus on Type 2 Diabetic Population

“…In contrast with most of the findings, Mehta et al [ 68 ] identified a higher magnesium intake in males with obesity (mean daily intake of 254.9 ± 101.1 mg/day) compared with normal-weight men (mean intake of 242 ± 102.2 mg/day). In women, however, the difference was not statistically significant [ 68 ].…”

“…In contrast with most of the findings, Mehta et al [ 68 ] identified a higher magnesium intake in males with obesity (mean daily intake of 254.9 ± 101.1 mg/day) compared with normal-weight men (mean intake of 242 ± 102.2 mg/day). In women, however, the difference was not statistically significant [ 68 ]. Similarly, Liu et al [ 69 ] did not confirm any differences in terms of daily magnesium intake according to the obesity status, neither in Non-Hispanic Black people nor in Mexican American people aged between 19 and 39 years (this was a NHANES sub-analysis, between 2003 and 2014) [ 69 ].…”