Table 1 Characteristics of 2221 Japanese adults aged 18–64 years according to their frequency of consuming meals prepared away from home [Mean (SD) or n (%)]

Age (years), Mean (SD)

49.6

(11.8)

47.5

(12.4)

44.8

(12.1)

48.8

(11.0)

47.5

(11.7)

44.7

(11.4)

Age category, n (%)

 18–34 years

44

(13.7)

82

(17.6)

33

(24.4)

67

(11.0)

95

(15.6)

16

(19.5)

 35-50 years

103

(32.1)

173

(37.2)

52

(38.5)

244

(40.1)

241

(39.5)

39

(47.6)

 51–64 years

174

(54.2)

210

(45.2)

50

(37.0)

297

(48.9)

274

(44.9)

27

(32.9)

Body mass index (kg/m²), Mean (SD)

23.8

(3.4)

23.8

(3.5)

24.5

(4.4)

22.0

(3.4)

22.1

(3.7)

22.0

(3.8)

Body mass index category, n (%)

 Underweight (< 18.5)

6

(1.9)

19

(4.1)

5

(3.7)

59

(9.7)

80

(13.1)

13

(15.9)

 Normal (18.5–25)

202

(62.9)

302

(65.0)

80

(59.3)

449

(73.9)

424

(69.5)

53

(64.6)

 Overweight (25≤)

113

(35.2)

144

(31.0)

50

(37.0)

100

(16.5)

106

(17.4)

16

(19.5)

Occupation, n (%)

 Professional / manager

105

(32.7)

162

(34.8)

55

(40.7)

99

(16.3)

84

(13.8)

18

(22.0)

 Sales / service / clerical

65

(20.3)

117

(25.2)

36

(26.7)

232

(38.2)

263

(43.1)

38

(46.3)

 Security / transportation / labour

119

(37.1)

135

(29.0)

29

(21.5)

66

(10.9)

45

(7.4)

6

(7.3)

 Student

3

(0.9)

10

(2.2)

4

(3.0)

7

(1.2)

14

(2.3)

2

(2.4)

 Housekeeper

3

(0.9)

6

(1.3)

2

(1.5)

193

(31.7)

194

(31.8)

17

(20.7)

 Not in paid employment

26

(8.1)

35

(7.5)

9

(6.7)

11

(1.8)

10

(1.6)

1

(1.2)

Living alone, n (%)

11

(3.4)

44

(9.5)

22

(16.3)

39

(6.4)

41

(6.7)

14

(17.1)

Region, n (%)

 Hokkaido and Tohoku

41

(12.8)

47

(10.1)

15

(11.1)

63

(10.4)

56

(9.2)

13

(15.9)

 Kanto

89

(27.7)

176

(37.9)

42

(31.1)

172

(28.3)

207

(33.9)

36

(43.9)

 Hokuriku and Tokai

60

(18.7)

81

(17.4)

21

(15.6)

101

(16.6)

132

(21.6)

15

(18.3)

 Kinki

53

(16.5)

82

(17.6)

31

(23.0)

126

(20.7)

100

(16.4)

10

(12.2)

 Shikoku and Chugoku

39

(12.2)

34

(7.3)

11

(8.2)

67

(11.0)

54

(8.9)

3

(3.7)

 Kyusyu

39

(12.2)

45

(9.7)

15

(11.1)

79

(13.0)

61

(10.0)

5

(6.1)

Current smoker, n (%)

102

(31.8)

140

(30.1)

54

(40.0)

47

(7.7)

55

(9.0)

7

(8.5)

Habitual alcohol drinker, n (%)

117

(36.5)

172

(37.0)

45

(33.3)

49

(8.1)

77

(12.6)

10

(12.2)

Frequency of consuming meals prepared away from home on the dietary recording day

 2 times or more, n (%)

18

(5.6)

67

(14.4)

52

(38.5)

14

(2.3)

49

(8.0)

15

(18.3)

 Once, n (%)

106

(33.0)

219

(47.1)

68

(50.4)

128

(21.1)

233

(38.2)

41

(50.0)

 None, n (%)

197

(61.4)

179

(38.5)

15

(11.1)

466

(76.6)

328

(53.8)

26

(31.7)

Consumption of snacks on the dietary recording day, n (%)

203

(63.2)

293

(63.0)

82

(60.7)

476

(78.3)

460

(75.4)

55

(67.1)