Author(s)

Hiroaki Kanouchi¹, Kosuke Toyoda¹, Hitomi Miyazaki², Eva Mariane Mantjoro³, Hideshi Niimura⁴, Kazuyo Kuwabara⁵, Noriko Tsunematsu Nakahata⁶, Rie Ibusuki⁷, Shigeho Maenohara⁸, Toshiro Takezaki⁷

¹Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.
²Health Promotion Center, Nakamura Gakuen University, Fukuoka, Japan.
³Faculty of Public Health, Sam Ratulangi University, Manado, Indonesia.
⁴Yonemori Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan.
⁵Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
⁶Department of Community Medicine Management, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan.
⁷Department of International Islands and Community Medicine, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan.
⁸JA Kagoshima Kouseiren Medical Health Care Center, Kagoshima, Japan.

The plasma homocysteine concentration is a good indicator of various diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and dementia. This study examined the relationship between plasma homocysteine concentrations and dietary habits in a population of elderly Japanese people from the Amami Islands. Data from 1131 participants collected during a baseline survey for the Japan Multi-institutional Collaborative Cohort study, which is a prospective cohort study, were used. Information on dietary habits was collected using a food frequency questionnaire. The plasma homocysteine concentration was associated with age in women only. Smoking in men and menopause were significantly associated with homocysteine concentrations. Analysis of blood biochemical data showed that estimate of glomerular filtration rate negatively correlated with plasma homocysteine in women (R = ?0.91, p < 0.001) and men (R = ?0.49, p < 0.001). There was no common food associated with homocysteine concentrations among the groups, but in each group, some food types were associated with homocysteine concentrations. In men, Chinese tea was a common factor showing a negative correlation with homocysteine concentrations. Natto showed a negative correlation with homocysteine concentrations in non-smoking men (β = ?0.11, p < 0.05) and premenopausal women (β = ?0.20, p < 0.01). Eggs (β = ?0.21, p < 0.01) and food processed from fish eggs (β = ?0.21, p < 0.01) negatively correlated with homocysteine concentrations in smoking men. Miso soup (β = ?0.13, p < 0.01) and yoghurt (β = ?0.10, p < 0.05) negatively correlated with homocysteine concentrations in postmenopausal women. Consumption of folate-rich food did not necessarily correlate with a low plasma Hcy concentration.

Homocysteine, FFQ, Vegetables, Chinese Tea, Natto, Egg, Miso Soup, Yoghurt

Kanouchi, H. , Toyoda, K. , Miyazaki, H. , Mariane Mantjoro, E. , Niimura, H. , Kuwabara, K. , Tsunematsu Nakahata, N. , Ibusuki, R. , Maenohara, S. and Takezaki, T. (2018) Relationship between Dietary Habits and Plasma Homocysteine Concentrations in Elderly Japanese Women and Men. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 9, 595-608. doi: 10.4236/fns.2018.95045.