Studies on seasonal variations of nutrient intakes and blood characteristics of women in a farming village. Part I Seasonal differences of nutrient intakes.

For three consecutive days of the 2nd and the 3rd week in the spring (June), summer (August), autumn (November) and winter (February) from April, 1981 to March, 1982, a dietary survey was conducted for 35 female farmers at Shimonagasawa, Kanegasaki-cho, Isawa-gun, Iwate prefecture.<br>The results are summarized as follows:<br>1) Compared the yearly mean values of the nutrient intakes with the Japanese recommended dietary allowances (RDA's), the intakes of almost of nutrients were over 90% of the RDA's, while those of lipid and iron were 75-79% of the RDA's. The energy intakes derived from protein, lipid and carbohydrate were 13.3, 19.5 and 67.2%, respectively.<br>2) In the summer, the numbers of individuals receiving iron, vitamin A and vitamin B₁ less than 50% of the RDA's were more than the other seasons. The numbers of individuals receiving iron less than 50% of the RDA's were also marked in the autumn. The numbers of individuals receiving protein less than 50% of the RDA's were marked in the winter.<br>3) There were significant seasonal differences in the intakes of protein, vitamin C and iron. The first two were lower in the winter, while the last was lower in the summer and autumn.<br>4) Compared the variance coefficients of the seasonal nutrient intakes of female farmers with those of female college students, the coefficients were generally large with the exceptions of those for iron in the summer and autumn and for vitamin B₂ and vitamin C in the autumn and winter.<br>5) Compared with the standard dietary pattern proposed by Takai et al. [Jpa. J. Nutr., 33, 203 (1975)], the intakes of oils and fats, potatoes, green and yellow vegetables and meat and poultry were lower than the standard.<br>6) In the spring, the intakes of fruits and vegetables other than green and yellow ones were lower, and in the summer those of green and yellow vegetables and eggs were lower than the other seasons. The intakes of foods of almost all categories were lower in the autumn than the other seasons.<br>7) Compared female farmers with female college students in terms of coefficients of variation in intakes of major food categories, the coefficients of the former were found to be larger in all the food categories except fish and shellfish, miso-fermented soybean paste, and fruits in the summer. The only food category showing a smaller variation for the farmers than the students was algae.