BACKGROUND: During the year after the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 
2011, the health conditions and lifestyles of survivors were extensively 
surveyed. We examined the relationship between living conditions and dietary 
pattern among survivors.
METHODS: A total of 10 466 survivors aged 18 years or older (25% of the 
population of that age in the area) participated in a survey of Iwate 
Prefecture. The average frequency of daily consumption of 8 food groups was 
determined by questionnaire. After excluding staple foods, which were consumed 3 
times a day by 85% of participants, factor analysis was performed on 7 food 
groups among 9789 people (3795 men, 5994 women).
RESULTS: Factor analysis identified 2 dietary patterns-prudent and meat. The 
prudent dietary pattern is characterized by high intakes of fish and shellfish, 
soybean products, vegetables, fruit, and dairy products and was more evident 
among older participants and women. The meat dietary pattern is characterized by 
high intakes of meat and eggs and was more evident among younger participants 
and men. Age-adjusted multiple logistic regression analyses showed that male and 
female current smokers and men and women living in difficult conditions were 
likely to have a lower prudent dietary pattern score; male current smokers and 
male daily alcohol drinkers were likely to have a higher meat dietary pattern 
score.
CONCLUSIONS: During the year after the earthquake, the prudent dietary pattern 
was associated with better living conditions among survivors, whereas the meat 
dietary pattern was not.