The effects of food intake restriction that is not in coordination with circadian rhythms on reproductive functions in young women

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On the basis of the novel concept that diet habits in young women during the adolescence influence the subsequent quality of life(QOL) of women of the reproductive ages, in this study, we conducted the questionnaire survey concerning the daily dietary habits, the self-recognition of body stature, dieting practice and general conditions from female college students of 18-20 years old in order to elicit significant dietary habit factors that affect reproductive functions. In addition, we examined dietary habits more precisely by food nutritional analysis. Furthermore, using young adult female rat experiments, we investigated the relationship between the timing of food intake restriction and estrous cycle to know the effects of dietary habits on the reproductive functions.The questionnaire survey confirmed that breakfast skipping is one of the important factors that adversely affect reproductive functions in young women and showed the possibility that nocturnal life style is associated with breakfast skipping. Food nutritional analysis showed that students with breakfast skipping did not supplement themselves with food energy, suggesting that breakfast is one of the reasons for lack of calories take in. In addition, animal experiments showed that greater impairment of the estrus cycle in young female rats that were starved during the day, i. e., the daytime(non-active phase) than those that were starved at night(active phase).From these results, we proposed a new hypothesis that the timing of food consumption in daily life is an important issue that affects reproductive function in the young. These findings will contribute to establishing a new dietary education program to reduce the adverse effects of diets on reproductive functions in young women.