1975-type Japanese diet and mortality trends: an ecological analysis
An analysis of Japanese nutrition and cause-specific mortality data from 1955 to 2023 suggests the 1975-type diet's macronutrient mix may fall in an optimal range; the authors describe this as potential relevance, not proof of benefit. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The analysis used Japanese nutritional intake data and cause-specific mortality rates from 1955 to 2023. [1]
Rising protein and fat consumption was positively correlated with malignant neoplasm- and cardiac disease-specific mortality and negatively with cerebrovascular disease-specific mortality. [1]
In a previous study, senescence-accelerated mice fed the 1975-type diet lived longer and kept cognitive capacities better than mice fed the other diets. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Ecological analysis of national nutrition and mortality data, with reference to a previous mouse feeding study
- Population / context
- Japanese national nutrition survey data and national vital statistics, plus a previous study in senescence-accelerated mice
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- September 7, 2026
Japanese diet data and mortality rates 1955–2023
The authors asked whether the 1975-type Japanese diet has a nutritional composition suited to healthy aging and longevity. They used daily average nutritional intake from Japan's National Health and Nutrition Survey and cause-specific mortality rates from Japan's Vital Statistics, covering 1955 to 2023. They also compared food-group composition of the Japanese diet in 1960, 1975, 1990 and 2005. The abstract does not report sample sizes, statistical models or effect estimates.
Supporting source [1]
Protein and fat intake correlated with mortality directions
According to the abstract, rising protein and fat consumption was positively correlated with mortality rates specific to malignant neoplasms and cardiac disease, and negatively correlated with the cerebrovascular disease-specific mortality rate. The authors state that the macronutrient composition of the 1975-type diet may lie within an optimal range to suppress these lifestyle-related diseases. These are correlations between population-level averages, not evidence that the diet caused the mortality patterns.
Supporting source [1]
Food groups and prior mouse feeding study
The abstract reports that the 1975-type diet increased fruit and vegetable consumption while keeping high consumption of traditional foods such as fish, soybeans and algae, which are suggested to have health and cognitive benefits. It also recalls a previous study in which senescence-accelerated mice fed weekly menus from 1960, 1975, 1990 and 2005 lived longer and kept cognitive capacities better on the 1975-type diet than on the other diets. The authors describe experimental, biochemical and epidemiological evidence as suggesting potential relevance to healthy aging and longevity.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. The mortality analysis is ecological, comparing population averages, so it cannot show that diet caused the mortality patterns. The mouse longevity and cognition result comes from a separate previous study in senescence-accelerated mice, not from humans. The abstract gives no sample sizes, statistical models or effect estimates.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Ubuka T, Kawashima K, Tokitou M, Hirose T, Murayama H, Yamane Y. · europepmc.org · September 7, 2026