Comparative studies on 24-hour urinary excretion in Japanese and Chinese adults and children--need for nutritional education.

In order to evaluate the effect of nutritional education on the risk of developing lifestyle-related diseases, we measured taurine and isoflavone content in 24-hour urine samples (24-U) of 3rd grade Chinese children (CC) and of age-matched Japanese children (JC), as well as adult Chinese and Japanese (CA, JA) according to the WHO-CARDIAC (Cardiovascular Diseases and Alimentary Comparison) Study protocol. There was a significantly higher prevalence of obesity and "thin" individuals in CC compared with JC. While K intake was not significantly different in the children, the sodium to potassium ratio (Na/ K) and the intake of sodium chloride (NaCl) were significantly higher in CC than in JC. Taurine excretion (24-U) was significantly higher in CC than in JC, but isoflavone excretion was significantly lower in CC than in JC. Taurine excretion was significantly lower in CA than in JA, while isoflavone excretion was almost the same in CA and JA. After nutritional education CC consumed more isoflavones than the control group that had been subjected to only environmental education. JC exhibited significantly higher 24-U taurine and isoflavone excretion after taking the nutritional class.