New research from Japan suggests that the way we eat changes significantly with age and gender, and that these shifts could inform more personalized nutrition guidance.
The study, published in Nutrients, looked at dietary habits among more than 2,700 adults between ages 20 and 59. Using data collected during routine health checkups, researchers grouped participants by age and gender to examine how often they consumed 10 common food categories, from fish and eggs to fruits, dairy and vegetables.
While overall intake frequency didn’t differ much between men and women, women reported eating fruit more often. When researchers looked more closely at patterns across both age and gender, the differences became more pronounced.
Young men were least likely to follow a balanced or nutrient-dense diet, while older women were most likely to include foods like fruits, eggs and dairy in their meals. Younger women favored more plant-based options, including fruits, vegetables and potatoes. Older men tended to prefer a more traditional diet based on fish and higher-fat foods. Overall, women had more diverse dietary patterns than men, and for both groups, variety and intake of nutrient-rich foods increased with age.
“Being aware of the gender- and age-specific differences in dietary patterns and diversity can lead to individualized nutritional improvement for each age and gender group,” said study author Dr. Katsumi Iizuka of Fujita Health University.
The researchers used statistical methods more commonly applied to environmental diversity to explore these food intake patterns. They also found that people in their 40s and 50s, who were more likely to live with family, had healthier diets than those in their 20s and 30s, who were more likely to live alone and skip key food groups.
The study suggests that offering nutrient-rich options like fruits, dairy and seaweed in workplace cafeterias could be a simple strategy to improve nutrition among younger adults.
“By eating fiber-rich foods and fermented products from a young age, it is possible to reduce the risk of developing heart diseases and cancer,” Iizuka said. “Visualizing differences in dietary patterns across generations can improve the general public’s understanding of dietary balance and diversity.”
This research received funding from the Dairy Products Health Science Council, Japan Milk Academic Alliance and Japan Dairy Association (J-milk), with a focus on women’s health.