Individuals with diabetes and those who have an interest in their diet may consume foods and beverages containing artificial sweeteners. Therefore, it is particularly important to examine the effects of consuming artificial sweeteners on glucose metabolism. However, this is a difficult task because very few epidemiologic studies have been conducted in Japan. Therefore, we conducted a literature review of original articles published in both Japan and other countries focusing on the use of artificial sweeteners in individuals with diabetes or obesity. The prospective observational studies retrieved by this search showed that habitual intake of beverages containing artificial sweeteners was associated with the development of obesity and diabetes. By contrast, several clinical trials revealed that body weight and glucose metabolism were not affected by additional intake of artificial sweeteners or by consumption of special foods in which sucrose was substituted by artificial sweeteners. However, these clinical studies were conducted in Western countries and produced conflicting results. To establish the appropriate intake of artificial sweeteners for Japanese individuals, clinical epidemiological studies, including observational studies, will be needed in future.

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For diabetic patients, it is essential to have an accurate awareness of food intake in order to maintain an adequate body weight, and the relative potency of various foods and meals for increasing the level of blood glucose （BG）. The latter, however, has been little studied. In the present investigation using a questionnaire, we examined whether diabetic patients had some perception of the BG-raising potency of various nutrients, foods and meals, and analyzed the results by categorical principal component analysis （CATPCA）. Among the 224 subjects, 136 correctly selected carbohydrate as the main BG-raising nutrient （C-group）. C-group subjects selected carbohydrate-rich foods and meals, whereas non-C subjects selected lipid-rich foods and meals. CATPCA revealed a significant correlation between the “carbohydrate-rich foods component”, and “carbohydrate-rich meals component” in the C-group, but not in the non-C-group. Thus, non-C subjects, who had a misconception about BG-raising nutrients, were also inconsistent in their recognition of BG-raising foods and meals. In summary, knowledge of BG-raising nutrients, foods, and meals was unsatisfactory in a substantial percentage of the diabetic patients, a fact which must be borne in mind by dietitians.

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This study investigated the effects of milk and dairy products on bone metabolism in rats fed a high-fat diet. A total of 40 Sprague-Dawley male rats (12 weeks old) were divided into five groups: a basal control diet group (Normal), a high-fat diet group (Fat), a high-fat with skimmed milk powder diet group (Fat＋Milk), a high-fat with powdered fermented milk diet group (Fat＋Yogurt), and a high-fat with whey powder and whey protein concentrate diet group (Fat＋Whey). Eighty-four days after the start of diet feeding, the total volume and polar moment of inertia of cross-sectional areas of the lumbar spine were significantly higher in the Fat＋Yogurt group than in the Fat group. Also, the cancellous BMD of the lumbar vertebrae was significantly higher in the Fat＋Whey group than in the Fat group. Interestingly, the level of serum 1α,25(OH)₂D₃ was significantly lower in the Fat＋Milk and Fat＋Whey groups than in the Fat group. Further analysis of the components in milk and dairy products and their effects on bone metabolism are necessary for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

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The differences between male and female deer meat were investigated in terms of meat weight and nutritional value in order to promote effective utilization of the meat of wild sika deer (Cervus nippon). The study samples were sika deer captured in Tanba district, Hyogo Prefecture, in September, November, and December, 2010. For male deer, the average body weight was 46.4 kg, the average meat weight was 16.7 kg, and the meat yield was 35.6％. Nutritionally, the meat consisted of 21.2 g of protein and 0.4 g of lipid per 100 g. For female deer, the average body weight was 36.3 kg, the average meat weight was 13.1 kg, and the meat yield was 35.7％. Nutritionally, the meat consisted of 20.5 g of protein and 0.7 g of lipid per 100 g. The female deer was smaller than the male deer, but had a higher amount of lipid. Differences in values according to season were small in both sexes. The meat weight ratio was high for rounds and shanks, and differences in the nutritional features of meat from the various body parts were small.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of self-consciousness in female sprinters on reporting error for total energy intake (TEI), which was estimated from food records and by the doubly labeled water (DLW) method. Twelve female sprinters participated. Calculated TEI (cTEI) was based on total energy expenditure (TEE) assessed by the DLW method and changes in body weight during the study period. Reported TEI (rTEI) was assessed based on food weight records. Self-consciousness was assessed using the self-consciousness scale for Japanese. cTEE (1,914±604 kcal/day) and rTEI (1,930±279 kcal/day) were significantly lower than TEE (2,392±376 kcal/day). Errors caused by misrecording and changes in intake were ＋8.8±33.0％ and -20.4±19.1％, respectively. Public and private self-consciousness scores were 58.3±7.8 and 48.1±7.6, respectively. The high self-consciousness group showed a larger reduction in body weight and lower cTEI and physical activity level than the low self-consciousness group. There was a significant difference in recording error between the high and low self-consciousness groups. All 6 subjects in the high self-consciousness group over-recorded, while 5 of the 6 subjects in the low self-consciousness group under-recorded. No significant differences in TEE, rTEI, or dietary intake were observed between the two groups. Our results indicated that in female sprinters, self-consciousness contributed to error in estimation of TEI.

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