New Initiative Seeks to Strengthen Evidence-Based Nutrition Research

To promote food, nutrition, and health, the International University of Health and Welfare (IUHW) has launched a new training course in collaboration with Ajinomoto and Meiji, two major Japanese food companies.

The program aims to cultivate professionals capable of conducting evidence-based food research, disseminating research findings internationally, and contributing to discussions on nutrition policy and evaluation methods.

Rethinking Nutrition Policy

Japan ranks among the world's leaders in longevity, supported by its healthcare system, public health framework, and focus on food and nutrition.

IUHW Vice President Naoko Yamamoto says the training program was established in line with the three pillars outlined at the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit hosted by Japan in 2021.

"The first is to leverage private companies' development capabilities and ability to create new value to expand the range of better choices available to consumers," she says.

*A course for working professionals held last year attracted participants from many companies. (©Mika Sugiura)*

Until now, global health promotion policies have primarily relied on regulatory measures, such as taxing foods high in salt or sugar to discourage consumption.

At the 2021 Tokyo Summit, however, the emphasis shifted toward harnessing companies' product development and technological capabilities to improve nutrition.

Putting Asia on the Map

The second pillar focuses on Asia. For decades, available data has been skewed toward Europe and the United States, largely because most research and academic papers are written in English.

Yamamoto notes that "the health and dietary habits of people in Asia differ from those in Europe and the United States, and more research is needed that takes cultural backgrounds and regional characteristics into account."

Holding the summit in Japan, she adds, helped bring this perspective to the forefront.

The third pillar is Japan's universal health coverage initiative. At the Tokyo Summit, a guiding principle was established to "create a society in which everyone has equitable access not only to healthcare but also to prevention, nutrition, and other health-related services, enabling people to safeguard their own health."

The Summit was also held in conjunction with the Olympic Games. To that end, expectations were that the next conference, held in Paris in 2025, would build on the three pillars proposed in Tokyo.

Unfortunately, Yamamoto says, the discussions ultimately moved in a different direction. Ultra-processed foods emerged as a central issue, and the role of the food industry became a point of contention. The conference likewise moved focus away from the Asian perspective emphasized in Tokyo.

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Evidence for Longevity

Another key factor at the Tokyo Summit was the need for scientific evidence to support the international advancement of its three pillars.

"We cannot say that there is sufficient evidence on how Japanese food and nutrition contribute to the country's healthy longevity," Yamamoto says.

*Corporate participants and faculty members at last year's professional course. (©Mika Sugiura)*

IUHC's new program seeks to cultivate professionals capable of conducting such research, clarify what constitutes a healthy diet for the Japanese population, and share the findings abroad. Ajinomoto and Meiji share this vision.

A five-year initiative to train specialists, share research findings, and translate them into social impact and practical implementation began in 2025. Following a one-year preparatory course for adult professionals, graduate-level lectures will begin in April 2026.

Beyond the Junk Food Label

In recent years, global food companies have expanded into the Pacific Islands, where sweet soft drinks — often cheaper than water — have become widely available.

Concerns have been raised that this has contributed to a rise in severely obese children, as well as increased reliance on foods such as hamburgers and potato chips, leading to both malnutrition and obesity.

*A hamburger (file photo) is often considered nutritionally unbalanced. (©Mika Sugiura)*

Yamamoto, however, suggests that "simply labelling all processed foods as bad is inappropriate." Instead, she says, discussions should focus on the broader food environment and the overall balance of one's diet.

For example, instant noodles are often labeled as junk food. Yet they are simple and convenient, and can also serve as an important emergency food supply during disasters. What ultimately matters is how such foods are consumed, and evaluating them requires a multifaceted perspective.

When Western Guidelines Don't Fit

It has often been noted that nutritional guidelines developed in the West do not necessarily apply directly to Asia, including Japan. One example is energy restriction.

A cohort study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that while more than 60% of men and nearly 50% of women had a BMI over 25 (classified as overweight or obese), only 1.4% of men and 8% of women had a BMI below 20 (underweight).

*Japanese diets generally satisfy the three criteria, except for excessive salt consumption. (Provided by IUHW)*

By contrast, a study conducted in Japan, South Korea, and China found that while 12% of the combined population had a BMI above 27.5 (obese), as many as 20% had a BMI of 20 or lower.

"In the West, combating obesity is a key priority," Yamamoto says. "In Japan, however, malnutrition among young women is a concern, and across Asia, malnutrition among the elderly is also an issue." This, she says, reflects the "double burden of malnutrition," in which obesity and undernutrition coexist.

"We need to verify through data analysis whether nutritional and health recommendations developed in the West apply to Japan as well," Yamamoto adds. "Discussions must also take into account issues specific to Japan, such as high salt intake."

Measuring Food the Right Way

Even the Access to Nutrition Initiative — a global corporate assessment run by a Dutch NGO — applies evaluation criteria largely based on Western standards to companies in Japan and other parts of Asia.

For example, seasonings commonly used in Japanese households for stir-fries and other dishes are analyzed in their undiluted form rather than as part of the finished dish, leading to the conclusion that they are excessively high in salt.

The same applies to cup noodles. Although they are typically consumed after hot water is added, the evaluation considers only the powdered soup and noodles in their dry form.

"If institutional investors make investment decisions based on such evaluations, Japanese companies could be placed at a disadvantage," Yamamoto says, adding that this could discourage corporate efforts and innovation aimed at improving food and health.

Japanese cuisine, built around the principle of "one soup and three side dishes," is remarkably diverse. In 2013, it was inscribed on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Through the university's new program, participants will explore fresh approaches to nutritional assessment grounded in Japanese food culture and dietary patterns to develop next-generation methods of nutritional profiling. Courses for working professionals will also be offered again this year.

Author: Mika Sugiura