Dietary Behavior in Relation to Migration Behavior

Abstract

1. Main objective of this report attempts to point out the close association between dietary behavior and migratory experience, based on the sample survey on migration conducted in the Hiroshima prefecture by the Institute of Population Problems in 1970.2. 3, 071 persons aged 15 years and over were drawn from the three stratified areas, namely urban, suburban and rural like mountain villages and islands on the basis of random sampling.3. Principal food pattern (carbohydrate source) was classified into six. Major categories were: (1) taking rice in three meals, (2) taking bread in breakfast only, (3) taking bread in lunch only, (4) taking noodles in lunch only, (5) breakfast without principal food, and (6) others. Of course, taking rice in three meals was dominant in the dietary life of the Japanese population. However, this traditional category had been fairly changing according to areas, age, occupation, education and migration experience.4. Overall change and difference in dietary custom in terms of principal food pattern was indicated by the proportion of the rice intake among all types of diets. For example, the proportion was lowest in the urban (61%), and highest in the rural area (86%), and intermediate in the suburban area (71%). Taking bread in breakfast pattern, on the contrary, was highest in frequency in the urban (17%), lowest in the rural (5%), and intermediate in the suburban area (14%). Areal differentials in principal food patterns may be explained by differentials in occupation and educational levels and also age factor and migration experience.5. Principal diet patterns were clearly distinguished among non-migrants and migrants. The latter tended to take more diversified patterns, and less rice intake and more bread intake in breakfast than the former. The same tendency was found among age groups of each category. However, it was very interesting to note that the dietary behavior was more marked in the age groups aged 30 and over. Higher frequency of taking bread in breakfast and less frequency of taking rice in three meals were characteristic of these age groups of migrants than those of non-migrants. There was not any significant difference of dietary pattern among the age groups aged less than 30 of non-migrants and migrants. It suggested that much more uniform pattern of principal food tended to be strengthened easily particularly among young generation because of the standardization of way of life. However, the youngest age group, 15-19, tended to be strongly influenced by dietary behavior of their parents who were migrants or non-migrants.6. Some conclusions are as follows. Firstly, remarkable difference among age groups of migrants and non-migrants may be important in view of drastic change of age composition of population in the 1970's. Secondly, urbanization which will be accelerated in this decade, may be another factor influencing dietary behavior of the Japanese population.