The Difference in Nutrient Intakes between Chinese and Mediterranean, Japanese and American Diets

Abstract

Across countries, the predominant diets are clearly different and highly related with human health. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate dietary nutrients between them. This study aimed to evaluate dietary nutrients in China and compare those between Chinese and Mediterranean (Italian), Japanese and American diets. Dietary intakes of 2659 subjects in south-east China, Zhejiang province, from 2010 to 2012, were estimated by three consecutive 24-h dietary recalls. The contribution of carbohydrate to total energy in Chinese subjects was lower than that in Japanese and American subjects, but higher than that in Italian subjects. However, the energy contribution from fat in Chinese subjects was higher than that in Japanese and American subjects, and similar to that in Italian subjects. Moreover, the Chinese diet had lower daily intakes of fiber, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin C, compared with the Japanese, American and Italian diets. Nevertheless, intakes of sodium, iron, copper and vitamin E were higher among Chinese people relative to the people of other three countries. The present study demonstrated that the structure of the Chinese diet has been shifting away from the traditional diet toward high-fat, low-carbohydrate and low-fiber diets, and nutrients intakes in Chinese people have been changing even worse than those in American people.

Dietary antioxidant vitamins intake and mortality: A report from two cohort studies of Chinese adults in Shanghai

“…However, for vitamin E, the mean intake was higher than in the United States and the United Kingdom. These results were consistent with those of another study conducted in 2015 30 . Moreover, in the studies conducted in Western countries7, 13, 22, 27 or Japan, 10 the median intake of vitamin C was much higher than in our cohort.…”

“…In previous studies, the lack of association between vitamin intake and mortality may be due to the study of well-nourished cohort members 30 . For poorly nourished populations, previous studies have suggested beneficial effects of antioxidant vitamins in relation to mortality 31 .…”

Burden of Ischaemic heart disease and attributable risk factors in China from 1990 to 2015: findings from the global burden of disease 2015 study

“…A 14.5 g daily average salt intake in Chinese adults was much higher than 5 g recommended by WHO [34]. Moreover, approximately 9.7% of adults had diabetes, and the overweight and obesity rates for adults were 30% and 11.9%, respectively [33]. These findings imply the immense potential of prevention through comprehensive risk factor modification to reduce the IHD burden in China [35,36].…”

“…These regional disparities are observed partly due to the differences in exposure to metabolic and behavioural risk factors, environmental qualities, meteorological conditions, and household income levels between different regions. Southeastern coastal provinces experienced a lighter IHD burden, as these provinces have been shown to have lower prevalence of hypertension and high total cholesterol [27][28][29], a lower smoking rate [30], lower air pollution [31], higher household income [32], warm climate conditions and eating habits similar to the Mediterranean diet or Japanese diet [33]. …”

“…Exposure to metabolic and behavioural risk factors has increased to high levels in recent years. A recent report on CVDs in China showed that 25.2% of Chinese adults (approximately 270 million) suffered from hypertension and 33.6% had high-normal blood pressure, but their knowledge rate, treatment rate and control rate for hypertension were only 46.5%, 41.1%, and 13.8%, respectively [33]. Approximately 10% of Chinese adults had high total cholesterol and 25% had high triacylglycerol.…”