The 1975 Type Japanese Diet Improves Lipid Metabolic Parameters in Younger Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

In our previous study, the health benefits of the 1975 Japanese diet were shown to be the highest, since the diet suppressed visceral and liver fat accumulation, and hyperglycemia. In addition, the 1975 Japanese diet promoted maintenance of learning memory ability and a lengthened life span. However, the effect of the 1975 Japanese diet has not been ascertained in humans. In the current study, a diet with the characteristics of the 1975 Japanese diet was prepared to examine if this diet is beneficial for human health. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to determine effects of the 1975 Japanese diet (JD) in comparison with a modern Japanese diet (MD). Subjects aged 20-29 years old were randomly assigned to the MD (n=16) and JD (n=16) groups. Each subject consumed the diet three times a day for 28 days. Changes in physical conditions, including body composition and blood biochemistry, from before to after the study period were evaluated. As a result, body weight (p < 0.05), body fat percentage (p < 0.05), body fat mass (p < 0.05), serum triglyceride level (p < 0.05), and serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (p < 0.05) were significantly decreased and serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.05) and serum magnesium levels (p < 0.05) were significantly increased in JD group. These results showed that a diet with the characteristics of the 1975 Japanese diet has a beneficial effect on lipid metabolic parameters.