Assessment of Food Education by Urinalysis

Abstract“The Basic Law on Shokuiku (Food Education)” (Shokuiku Kihon Hou) was enacted in 2005 in Japan. First, we examined the relationship of Na/K ratio in the first morning spot urine (SU) with the ratio of 24-hour urine (24U) samples from 54 elementary school children, and confirmed Na/K ratios in the SU and the 24-U samples were correlated significantly. Next, we conducted 6 times the variety of Food Education Program (FEP), to encourage 34 boys and girls aged 7 to 12 to eat more Japanese traditional food items such as soy, sesame, seaweed, vegetable, fish, mushroom and potato, daily. And we checked the change of sodium (Na) / potassium (K) of SU samples collected 3 times before, after and in the midst of FEP to investigate the effect of FEP on Na/K of morning SU in elementary school children. The Na/K was decreased significantly in the 2nd and the 3rd SU from the baseline level. We confirmed the FEP's effect on the children's dietary behaviour not only from the questionnaire but also from the significant changes in Na/K of SU. In conclusions, the FEP collecting SU samples to check Na/K is expected to be a good method to estimate the effect of FEP on dietary behaviour

Quest for a Long Life: Paradoxes and Essentials of Evolving Longevity

Among the countries in the developed world, Japan has the longest mean lifespan for women; however, the nation has encountered serious problems in policy and economics, as well as in managing medical care for its aging population. Aging is inevitable, but it also constitutes a major challenge in modern biology and medicine. In the treatment of geriatric patients, an understanding of the fundamental biological mechanisms of aging and longevity is crucial for the effective treatment and prevention of diseases and disorders, including dementia, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia. To address the most basic questions about aging, including determinants of lifespan and the identity of critical genes and anti-aging factors, we discuss paradoxical phenomena in the biology of longevity, with a particular focus on "time" and "size" of organisms. We also discuss essential factors and/or activities associated with anti-aging mechanisms in connection with brain function in adults and the elderly. Finally, we discuss unique features of the Shc gene family, which is involved in longevity determination, brain size restriction, cognitive functions, and evolution. The aim of this paper is to offer some insight into various problems in gerontology and geriatrics for future research

Taurine in health and diseases: consistent evidence from experimental and epidemiological studies

Taurine (T) was first noted as beneficial for stroke and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) prevention in genetic rat models, stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). The preventive mechanisms of T were ascribed to sympathetic modulation for reducing blood pressure (BP) and anti-inflammatory action. Recent epidemiological surveys revealed the involvement of inflammatory mediators in the pathogenesis of stroke and also atherosclerosis for which T was proven to be effective experimentally. Arterio-lipidosis prone rats, a substrain of SHRSP selectively bred for higher reactive hypercholesterolemia, quickly develop not only arterial fat deposition but also fatty liver which could be attenuated by dietary T supplementation. CARDIAC (CVD and Alimentary Comparison) Study was a WHO-coordinated multi-center epidemiological survey on diets and CVD risks and mortalities in 61 populations. Twenty-four-hour urinary (24U) T was inversely related significantly with coronary heart disease mortality. Higher 24U-T excreters had significantly lower body mass index, systolic and diastolic BP, total cholesterol (T-Cho), and atherogenic index (AI: T-Cho/high density lipoprotein-cholesterol) than lower T excreters. T effects on CVD risks were intensified in individuals whose 24U-T and -magnesium (M) excretions were higher. Furthermore, higher Na excreters with higher heart rate whose BP were significantly higher than those with lower heart rate were divided into two groups by the mean of 24U-T, high and low T excreters. Since the former showed significantly lower BP than the latter, T may beneficially affect salt-sensitive BP rise. Included among the typical 61 populations, were Guiyang, China or St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada where in which the means of both 24U-T and -M were high or low, respectively. The former and the latter had low and high CVD risks, respectively. Australian Aboriginals living at the coastal area in Victoria were supposed to eat T- and M-rich bush and sea foods and be free from CVD 200 years ago, but they presently have nearly the highest CVD risks indicating that T- and/or M-containing seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, milk, etc, similar to prehistoric hunters’ and gatherers’ food should be good for CVD prevention. The preventive effects of T, good for health and longevity, first noted experimentally, were also proven epidemiologically in humans

Possible Association of High Urinary Magnesium and Taurine to Creatinine Ratios with Metabolic Syndrome Risk Reduction in Australian Aboriginals

Background. Because of the epidemic of metabolic syndrome (MS) in Australian Aboriginals known for their higher cardiovascular mortality and shorter life expectancy, we analyzed the possible relationship of their MS risks with the current dietary custom. Methods. The subjects were 84 people aged 16–79 years. The health examination was conducted according to the basic protocol of WHO-CARDIAC (Cardiovascular Diseases and Alimentary Comparison) Study. Results. The highest prevalence among MS risks was abdominal obesity (over 60%). After controlling for age and sex, the odds of obesity decreased significantly with high level of urinary magnesium/creatinine ratio (Mg/cre) (OR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.02–0.57; P < .05). The significant inverse associations of fat intake with Mg/cre and of fast food intake with urinary taurine/creatinine ratio were revealed. Conclusions. The high prevalence of obesity in the Aboriginal people of this area may partly be due to the reduction of beneficial nutrients intake including Mg and taurine

Selective upregulation of p66-Shc gene expression in the liver and brain of aged rats.

The phosphotyrosine signaling followed by various receptor activations conforms a unique signaling platform during metazoan evolution, and is crucial for animal development, maturation, and aging. Shc is the most versatile bipartite phosphotyrosine signal adaptor harboring phosphotrosine-biding (PTB) and Src-homology2 (SH2) domains. Among the Shc adaptor family members, p66-Shc is of potential interest in aging studies, since its deletion in mice resulted in a longer lifespan and/or higher quality of life in later stages of life. However, a few studies have examined the gene expression profiles of p66-Shc in aging tissues. Here, we quantified the expression levels of transcripts of Shc-related isoforms in the liver and brain of young adult, middle-aged, and aged rats, and found that p66-Shc gene expression is specifically up-regulated in the aged liver and brain. In the aged liver tissue, p66-Shc expression was also evident at the protein level, and accumulated in the soluble fraction of the aged tissue. These results indicate that p66-Shc is not only related to animal longevity but also affected during aging, and thus the repression of p66-Shc could become a potential target for an anti-aging strategy

Deterioration of traditional dietary custom increases the risk of lifestyle-related diseases in young male Africans

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) is rapidly increasing worldwide. To investigate the spread of MS risks and its relationship with eating habits including fish intake, we carried out a health examination for young and middle-aged men. The subjects were 97 healthy men (20 to 50 years) living in Mwanza, located on the shore of Lake Victoria in Tanzania. The health examination was conducted according to the basic protocol of WHO-CARDIAC (Cardiovascular Diseases and Alimentary Comparison) Study. This survey included anthropometric measurements, a dietary questionnaire, blood pressure measurement, and blood and 24-hour urine (24U) collection. Excretions of sodium, potassium and taurine (Tau) in 24U were estimated as the biomarkers of salt, vegetable and fish product intakes respectively. In this survey, 62.5 % of the young and 63.3% of the middle-aged adults had MS risks. The most prevalent MS risk factor was increased blood pressure (50.0% of young adults and 53.1% of the middle-aged). Tau excretions in 24U and n-3 fatty acid levels in plasma were significantly lower in young adults than those in the middle-aged (both P < 0.05). The eating frequencies of non-traditional foods such as donuts and ice cream showed negative correlations with age (r = -0.282, P < 0.01 and r = -0.246, P < 0.05), while salt intake positively correlated with age (r = 0.236, P < 0.05). Tau excretion in 24U was inversely correlated with atherosclerosis index (r = -0.306, P < 0.01) and fasting blood glucose (r = -0.284, P < 0.05). Young adults in Mwanza had a decreased frequency of eating habit of fish products compared with the middle-aged as indicated by Tau excretion in 24U and n-3 fatty acid level in the plasma, and over half of young adults had one or more MS risks just as the middle-aged. The change in food habit of lowered fish intake and raised exotic food intake might be concluded to increase MS risks in young men

Taurine's health influence on Japanese high school girls

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in children and adolescents has been increasing at an alarming rate. MS risks during childhood and adolescence adversely affect health conditions in later life. Thus, the characterization of their MS risks is a critical research field. The aims of this study are to survey the health status of Japanese adolescent females, a poorly characterized population, and to investigate the potential relationship between their MS risks and dietary factors like potassium (K) and taurine.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Anthropometric characteristics of 243 healthy school girls aged 13 to 18 years were measured. Serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and plasma levels of glucose and insulin were analyzed in fasting blood samples. We assessed overweight, disturbed lipid prolife, higher blood pressure (hBP) and higher plasma glucose (hGlc) levels as indicators of MS risks. The relationships between MS risks and urinary K or taurine excretion were investigated by dividing into higher and lower groups at medians of their urinary excretions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Half of junior high school (JHS) and one-quarter of senior high school (SHS) girls had at least one MS risk. The quite common risk was hGlc, the rates being 21% in JHS girls and 14% in SHS. The prevalence of being overweight and obesity were only small portions, the rate being 0% and 0% in JHS girls, and 10% and 1% in SHS, respectively. Substantial differences in the prevalence of hBP were observed between JHS (22%) and SHS (4%) girls. Furthermore, higher urinary K excretion group showed a significant decrease in triglyceride level (<it>P </it>= 0.03) and increase in HDL level (<it>P </it>= 0.003) compared with the lower. Also, the higher urinary taurine excretion group exhibited a significant reduction in triglyceride level (<it>P </it>= 0.04) compared with the lower.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results indicate that control of plasma glucose level rather than body weight is a crucial task in Japanese pubertal girls, and that a dietary habit rich in K and taurine could improve their lipid profile. Nutritional education based on these findings would help to prevent the future development of MS in Japanese female adolescents.</p