Dietary differences in male workers among smaller occupational groups within large occupational categories: Findings from the Japan environment and children’s study (JECS)

Studies examining workers’ diet according to smaller occupational groups within “large occupational categories” are sparse. The aim of this study was to examine the potential differences in workers’ diets based on the classification of workers into smaller occupational groups that comprise “large occupational categories”. The subjects of this study were working fathers who had participated in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (N = 38,656). Energy and nutrient intake were calculated based on data collected from the Food Frequency Questionnaire. Occupations were classified according to the Japanese Standard Occupational Classification. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the adherence to current dietary recommendations within smaller occupational groups. In particular, significant differences were observed among the categorical groups of “professional and engineering workers”, “service workers”, and “agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers”. In “professional and engineering workers”, teachers showed higher odds of adherence to calcium intake recommendations compared with nurses (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 2.02–3.14; p < 0.001). In “agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers”, agriculture workers showed higher odds of adherence to calcium (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.46–3.15; p < 0.001) and vitamin C (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.31–2.74, p = 0.001) intake recommendations compared with forestry and fishery workers. These findings may be beneficial from a research perspective as well as in the development of more effective techniques to improve workers’ diet and health.