@Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are known as n-3 fatty acids found in abundance in blue-backed fish. DHA has been documented to improve memory and judgment, blood flow, and prevent allergies, while EPA is reported to increase good (HDL) cholesterol and reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides.
@We are interested in the differences of the molecular structures of fatty acids and their physiological functions. Specifically, we are studying the functional differences among free fatty acids, triglycerides, and phospholipids, which have different molecular structures, in terms of their effects on cardiovascular function, lipid metabolism, and so forth. Also, we are verifying the functional properties of the phospholipids to which DHA and EPA are bound.
@Recently, it has been said that the epigenome also needs to be considered because methyl groups bind to DNA, RNA, or proteins via one carbon metabolism. Epigenomics is the process of altering the phenotypes and gene expression levels without altering the DNA sequence that humans originally possess. Therefore, it has been suggested that diet (food environment) may cause acquired changes in genetic phenotypes.
@A well-known example of the effects of food environment on epigenomes is the "Dutch Winter Famine." In the western region of the Netherlands, where food supplies were cut off by Nazi Germany from November 1944 to April 1945, a significantly higher rate of adult-onset disease was reported in children born during this period. This indicates that the food environment of the parents and the child during fetal and early childhood influences the child's health later in life.
@This event has been studied in the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) research, which is based on the concept that various environmental factors from the embryonic and fetal period to the postnatal developmental period influence health and the risk of developing various diseases after growth. We are currently investigating the effects of choline intake on the epigenome by linking to various cohort studies.
@In 2001, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. designated choline as a vitamin-like substance and established its intake standards based on life stages. Specifically, it has been pointed out that pregnant women, nursing mothers, and others should increase their choline intake.
@ For this reason, the United States Department of Agriculture (UDSA) offers information on the amount of choline contained in key food items to help people with their choline intake. In addition, it is now possible to label food items as "rich in choline" or "a good source of choline," and include "XX mg of choline" in the vitamin section of the Nutrition Facts table.
@We have examined the choline compound content in the diet of the Japanese people. Although it is not possible to simply compare Americans and Japanese, since these are different races with different physiques, we are examining how much choline the Japanese eat in comparison to the US FDA recommended daily choline intake, which is 550 mg for men and 425 mg for women.
@Japanese people are one of the world's shortest sleepers, and it is said that one out of five people in Japan has some kind of sleep-related problem. Meanwhile, since around 2000, it has become increasingly clear that sleep deprivation induces insulin resistance, which is associated with various pathological conditions such as obesity due to increased appetite, early morning hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. In other words, it is becoming clear that sleep quality and metabolic syndrome are directly and indirectly related.
@Dietary counseling is important for improving metabolic syndrome. However, it is necessary to pay attention not only to diet but also to sleep. Therefore, we turned our attention to diet from the viewpoint of how to improve sleep through daily routines, since we cannot secure enough time for sleep in our 24-hour society.
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@We experience sensory discomfort when the color or aroma of a food is extremely far off from what we assume to be the typical one. For example, blue-colored foods often cause aversion for Japanese people because they rarely encounter such foods. In such cases, they may feel nervous or frustrated. We are wondering if it is possible to objectively measure such sensations as physiological phenomena. Although the field is still in its infancy, we want to attempt expressing numerically what it means to enjoy a meal comfortably.
