1．Key members

Head	YAMAGUCHI Miwa
Technical assistant	NAGAIKE Ryoko、YASUI Noriko

2．Background and objectives

International Collaboration towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
To contribute to the achievement of the SDGs, a set of international goals for sustainable development adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, we are actively promoting international collaboration by leveraging our insight as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Nutrition and Physical Activity.

１）Promotion of International Collaborative Research
By collaborating with research institutions both domestically and internationally, we disseminate scientific evidence on sustainable food environments.
２）Secretariat Operations of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nutrition and Physical Activity
We foster collaborations with the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office and its member states to strengthen a global network. Through this network, we support researchers in the Asia-Pacific region and enhance surveillance of nutrition and physical activity. Our WHO Collaborating Centre contributes to the improvement of regional health and nutrition issues, including the double burden of malnutrition.

For more details on the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nutrition and Physical Activity, please refer to［Link］

3．研究内容

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Research on Sustainable Food Environments

Research conducted through the WHO Collaborating Centre network
(i) Assessment of implementation gaps and priority recommendations on food environment policies: the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index in Japan
This study aimed to identify the strengths and challenges of food environment policies in Japan by comparing them with best practices conducted by other countries using the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI), a policy indicator for healthy food environments. The results showed that the policy components, such as pricing unhealthy foods, regulating nutrient content, and regulating food marketing, were rated as having low implementation levels. In contrast, the policies in the ifrastructure-support component, particularly those related to monitoring and intelligence systems, such as the National Health and Nutrition Survey, were rated at a higher level. To improve the healthy food environments in Japan, it is necessary to continue accumulating evidence through national monitoring systems and develop comprehensive regulations that encourage the consumption of healthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages.
　Yamaguchi et al. Public Health Nutr 2022. doi: 10.1017/S1368980021004900

(ii) Assessment of Mongolian dietary intake for planetary and human health
This study aimed to clarify how closely the dietary intake of Mongolians approximates the Planetary Health Diet (PHD), which considers both environmental pressures and human health. The results showed that while the recommended intake of red meat in the PHD was 17g/day (100% adequate), the Mongolian's intake was 1,738% adequate, exceeding the recommended intake by more than 17 times. In contrast, the adequacy rates for vegetables and fruits were low at 20% and 8%, respectively. These findings suggest that it is necessary to enhance the availability of healthy foods in Mongolia based on its dietary guidelines and to promote nutrition education.
　Delgermaa and Yamaguchi et al. PLOS Glob Public Health 2023. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001229

(iii) Measures of Perceived Neighborhood Food Environments and Dietary Habits: A Systematic Review of Methods and Associations
The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the measurement tools for perceived food environments by five dimensions of food access and to obtain an overview of their associations with dietary habits among people aged 18 years and older in middle- and high-income countries. In perceived evaluations of food access, the most frequently used indicators were, in order, availability, accessibility, acceptability, affordability, and accommodation. Perceived healthy food environments were positively associated with healthy dietary habits, although the correlation was weak. To evaluate an individual's food environment, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive evaluation using several indicators.
　Yamaguchi et al. Nutrients 2022. doi: 10.3390/nu14091788

Research on Japanese diets
(iv)Characteristics of WASHOKU: Japanese Traditional Dietary Culture, Compared with Sustainable Healthy Diets Based on Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture and Food Systems
　This study found that Washoku, a distinct Japanese culinary tradition, has characteristics of a territorial diet among the sustainable and healthy diets recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization. To qualify as a territorial diet, it is important to promote healthy diets centered on a diverse range of local ingredients and plant-based foods, as well as to continuously educate people about the importance of territorial diets. Moreover, by implementing trading and marketing strategies that encourage healthy food choices and adopting a food system that addresses health disparities, Washoku can be further developed into a more sustainable and healthy diet.
　Yamaguchi and Nishi. ACS Symposium Series 2022. ISBN: 9780841297395

(v) Development of a machine learning model to classify cooking recipes according to dietary styles
　Using cooking recipes published from a Japanese recipe site, this study developed six machine learning models to effectively classify Japanese, Chinese, and Western dietary styles common in Japan. The analysis results confirmed that the characteristics of seasonings and broth were particularly informative for identifying dietary styles. These prediction models can serve complementary tools for understanding the complex nuances of Japanese food culture. They are expected to contribute to elucidating the relationship between dietary habits and health in Japan, a country renowned for its longevity worldwide.
　Yamaguchi and Araki et al. Foods 2024. doi: 10.3390/foods13050667

We are also conducting various research projects.

Laboratory of International Nutrition Collaboration

E-Mail	Ins2※nibiohn.go.jp （Replace * by @）