Investigation of oxidative stress and dietary habits in Mongolian
people, compared to Japanese people
Fumio Komatsu1  , Yasuo Kagawa* 1  , Mitsuru Sakuma* 1  , Terue
Kawabata* 1  , Yoshinori Kaneko* 1  , Dugee Otgontuya* 2  , Ulziiburen
Chimedregzen* 2  , Luvsanbazar Narantuya* 2   and Baatar Purvee* 3
1High Technology Research Center, Kagawa Nutrition University, 3-9-21
Chiyoda, Sakado, Saitama, 350-0288, Japan
2Public Health Institute, Ministry of Health of Mongolia, Peace
Avenue-17, Ulaanbaatar-49, Mongolia
3Khuvsgul General Hospital, Khuvsgul Aimag, Mongolia

Nutrition & Metabolism 2006, 3:21     doi:10.1186/1743-7075-3-21

Published   7 June 2006

Abstract

Background

The average life span of Mongolians is 62 years for males and 69 years
for females. This life span is about 16 years shorter than that of
Japanese. Mongolian people generally eat meat, fat and diary products
but less vegetables or fruit. Thus, we investigated the state of
oxidative stress and dietary habits of Mongolians.

Methods

The investigation was performed in Murun city in the northwest area of
Mongolia. A total of 164 healthy subjects (24-66 y) were enrolled. As
a marker of reactive oxygen species, the levels of reactive oxygen
metabolites (ROM) were measured using the d-ROM test. Interviews about
dietary habits were performed using the Food Frequency Questionnaire
established by the Kagawa Nutrition University.

Results

ROM levels were 429.7 ± 95.2 Carr U for Murun subjects, whereas
Japanese people (n = 220, 21-98 y) showed 335.3 ± 59.8 (p < 0.001).
The levels of serum malondialdehyde-modified low-density
lipoprotein-cholesterol and urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine were also
high. ROM levels correlated with body fat ratio and inversely
correlated with handgrip strength. Handgrip strength in the subjects
over 45 years decreased more rapidly than that of age-matched Japanese.
Murun subjects ate larger amounts of meat, fat, milk and flour and
dairy products than Japanese, but less vegetables or fruit. Serum
vitamin A and E levels were the same as Japanese references, but
vitamin C levels were lower.

Conclusion

Murun subjects may be in high oxidative stress, which may have a
relationship with early ageing and several diseases, ultimately
resulting in their short life span. In order to increase antioxidant
capacity and suppress overproduction of ROM, antioxidant food intake is
recommended.

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