Time Trend of Dietary Fiber Intake in Japan, 1917-1991

The per capita daily intake of dietary fiber (DF) in Japan between 1917 and 1991 was assessed using statistical reports regarding nutrition, food consumption, production, and trade balance. The reported contents of DF for each food category were used ; these values were based on the modified Southgate method and modified Prosky AOAC method. Average per capita daily consumptions of total DF calculated by the modified Southgate method were 30.3 g in 1917-1924 and 15. 6 g in 1991. Those calculated by modified Prosky AOAC method were 28.6 g in 1917-1924 and 14. 5 g in 1991. Both calculation methods yielded values indicating that the DF intake had been almost constant in the last 20 years. Differences in the calculated values of DF obtained by the two methods are attributed mainly to the difference in the measured values for rice. J Epidemiol, 1995; 5 : 205-210.