Effects of Reductions of Body Fat and Regional Adipose Tissue on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism Among Eldery Japanese

To evaluate effects of improvement of obesity on glucose and lipid metabolism, changes of body weight, skinfolds and biochemical parameters in glucose and lipid metabolism were examined through a six month health education on excercise and diet. Subjects were 20 men and 36 women aged from 48 to 87, who had overweight and/or glucose intolerance. Weight, relative weight and fat mass were significantly reduced after the program in both sexes. Circumference ratios were reduced only in women. The significant reduction of skinfold was found at the suprailiac in men, and at regions of upper body in women. The reduction of weight was associated with those of skinfolds in either sex. Fasting serum glucose in both sexes and serum insulin in men significantly decreased after the program. Statistical analyses revealed that improvements of glucose metabolism in men were contributed by decreases of skinfolds at abdominal and suprailiac regions. The increase of HDL was related to the decreases of fat mass in men and of abdominal-hip ratio in women. These findings indicate that excercise and/or dietary control are effective on the improvements of metabolic aberrations, and that measurements of regional skinfolds are important for estimating changing risks with the reduction of weight

西海漁業地域における高齢者の健康像と生活習慣

現在、わが国は世界一の長寿国として注目を集めている。しかし、生活習慣によって発症する脳梗塞、心筋梗塞、高血圧、糖尿病などが増加傾向にあり社会問題となりつつある。本研究では長崎県北部の漁業地域下において、生活や健康に対する意識が生活習慣病の罹病に対する影響を与えるのではないかという観点から調査を行った。Despite its reputation as the country with the world\u27s longest life expectancy, Japan currently faces social problems due to a trend toward increasing lifestyle-related diseases, such as cerebral and myocardial infarction, hypertension, and diabetes. The objective of the present study was to investigate the current level of health and lifestyle awareness in the Kosaza town, and to determine its effects on lifestyle-related and other diseases

Appendicular bone mass and knee and hand osteoarthritis in Japanese women: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that there is an inverse association between osteoarthritis (OA) and osteoporosis. However, the relationship of bone mass to OA in a Japanese population whose rates of OA are different from Caucasians remains uncertain. METHODS: We studied the association of appendicular bone mineral density (second metacarpal; mBMD) and quantitative bone ultrasound (calcaneus; stiffness index) with knee and hand OA among 567 Japanese community-dwelling women. Knee and hand radiographs were scored for OA using Kellgren-Lawrence (K/L) scales. In addition, we evaluated the presence of osteophytes and of joint space narrowing. The hand joints were examined at the distal and proximal interphalangeal (DIP, PIP) and first metacarpophalangeal/carpometacarpal (MCP/CMC) joints. RESULTS: After adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI), stiffness index was significantly higher in women with K/L scale, grade 3 at CMC/MCP joint compared with those with no OA. Adjusted means of stiffness index and mBMD were significantly higher in women with definite osteophytes at the CMC/MCP joint compared to those without osteophytes, whereas there were no significant differences for knee, DIP and PIP joints. Stiffness index, but not mBMD, was higher in women with definite joint space narrowing at the CMC/MCP joint compared with those with no joint space narrowing. CONCLUSIONS: Appendicular bone mass was increased with OA at the CMC/MCP joint, especially among women with osteophytes. Our findings suggest that the association of peripheral bone mass with OA for knee, DIP or PIP may be less clearcut in Japanese women than in other populations

30-Item General Health Questionnaire Scores in Male and Female University Freshmen

The thirty-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ30) was conducted on 1,432 university freshmen twice in June 1998 and in January 1999 to investigate their mental health conditions after matriculation. After classifying the results by the time of investigation and gender, logistic regression analysis was performed to extract question items correlated with high GHQ scores. As a result, male students investigated in June showed the correlations among high GHQ scores and the following 5 items:subjective health conditions (SC), satisfaction with matriculation (SM), enthusiasm for studies (ES), living with (family or alone) (LW), and the difference between whether they passed the entrance examination directly upon graduation or not (EE), otherwise, that in January correlated with SC and SM only. Female students investigated in June showed the correlations among high GHQ scores and the following 3 items: SC, SM, and ES, otherwise, that in January correlated with SC, ES, and LW. In addition, factor analysis was performed after classifying the replies to GHQ30 by the time of investigation and gender. As a result, uselessness was obtained as the first factor in all students, and the following factors were respectively obtained as the second factor: human relationship and low activity in male students investigated in June, low activity in male students investigated in January, intimacy and high-tension in female students investigated in June, and low-tension in female students investigated in January

Impacts of Sociocultural Condition on Regional Endemics of HTLV-1 and HBV among Islands in Southwestern Japan

The transmission pathways of two oncogenic viruses, human Tlymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are very similar : maternal, sexual and by transfusion. Furthermore, individuals infected with these viruses become lifelong virus carriers. Both of these viruses are known to be endemic in Nagasaki. In trying to correlate the endemicity of these viruses with the sociocultural attributes, such as birth place, religion, sex and age, we surveyed residents (2262 in total) aged over 40 years, in three islands of Nagasaki. Markers included anti-HTLV-1 antibody and HBV related markers (HBsAg/HBsAb) in sera. The prevalences of people infected with HTLV-1 in Mishima, Narao, and Oshima were 41.1, 29.3 and 12.9 %, respectively, while those of HBV were 55.8, 35.1 and 31.7 %, respectively. HTLV-1 and HBV were endemic in all three islands. The penetrations by two viruses seemed to be correlated with each other in each island. This profile was more discrete, if we analyzed people born in the respective islands. However, the evidence to suggest the preferred coinfection of these 2 viruses could not be demonstrated. These results suggested that the intermarriage in a closed community of islands had a favorable effect to maintain the endemicity of these viruses. Christians in these islands tend to intermarry within their religion. Of males in Oshima, Christians born on the same island were significantly more anti-HTLV-1 positive than non-Christians. Similarly, male Christians of Narao and Oshima showed significantly higher prevalence of HBV markers than non-Christians. The results were consistent with the conjecture. In the case of HTLV-1, while the prevalence increased with age in both sexes in highly endemic Mishima and Narao, it remained constant in less endemic Oshima. These profiles were also seen in the subjects born in the respective islands. The age related increase of the seropositive population could hardly be explained by the dominant horizontal infections. The age independent seroprevalence in Oshima rather suggested that human factors of each island played a siginificant role for the decreased frequency of maternal infections of HTLV-1 in these several decades in the other two islands. In contrast, the prevalence of HBV markers were relatively unaffected by age except for Mishima. This suggested that the maternal infection of HBV is more efficient and dominant than that of HTLV-1. In case of Mishima, the younger female showed significantly lower prevalence

The Effects of Volcanic Disaster on the Prevalence and Severity of Bronchial Asthma

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of volcanic disaster on bronchial asthma, the prevalence and the extent of deterioration of asthma were studied among primary school children aged 6 to 11 years who experienced the volcanic eruption of Mt. Unzen Fugen, Nagasaki, Japan. Methods: Questionnaire data were collected from the parents or guardians of primary school children. Asthma was classified into four categories: diagnosed asthma, current asthma, remitted asthma, and deteriorated asthma, and the prevalence of each category was compared according to sex and grade. We also analyzed the relation between asthma and past illness and family history including experience of volcanic disaster. Results: Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that past illnesses of allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis, dermatitis and conjunctivitis were associated with either current asthma or deteriorated asthma. On the effects of volcanic disaster, a change of family member after volcanic disaster was significantly associated with deteriorated asthma (odds ratio=3.20, 95% confidence interval=1.79-5.70). Location of school seemed to somewhat influence the prevalence of deteriorated asthma, which might relate to the distance from the volcanic crater. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that not only gases and ash but also changes in psychosocial conditions by refuge or related anxiety may influence the prevalence of asthma among primary school children

Health Education Approaches to Control Urinary Schistosomiasis In Developing Countries

This article reviews the main health education approaches for the control of urinary schistosomiasis which is endemic in many developing countries. The control of schistosomiasis by mass-chemotherapy and safe water supply needs people\u27s behavioural changes through simultaneous effective health education. The characteristics of the following five health education approaches were demonstrated; (1) the \u27provision of knowledge\u27 approach, (2) the KAP (knowledge, attitude, and practice) or KAPB (knowledge, attitude, perception, and behaviour) study-based approach, (3) the health belief model, (4) the PRECEDE/PROCEED model, and (5) the community participation approach through empowerment and health learning. Education should be orientated by KAPB studies. Then, information on people\u27s perception and attitudes toward the targeted disease should be collected through communication and discussion with people based on the Health Belief model. In the next step, proper knowledge and message for behavioural changes and disease control should be provided in a culturally acceptable and effective manner. These core parts of health education should be backed up using findings of the PRECEDE/PROCEED model. At the same time, health education should stimulate community participation, which in turn enhances the health learning process of community members. All these processes with available public health and basic human services should work together for effective behavioural change and for better health outcomes such as increasing mass-chemotherapy participatio

長崎国際大学生における食生活の現状と骨密度の関係

日本人はカルシウムの摂取量が慢性的に不足していることから、骨粗鬆症、骨軟化症、さらにくる病などの骨関連疾患が大きな問題となっている。一方で、その予防には食生活が重要性な要因であると認識されている。そこで今回、大学生の生活状況を調査するため、骨形成に関与する栄養素に注目し、長崎国際大学健康管理学部健康栄養学科で実施されている「健康栄養調査プロジェクト」の結果を解析した。男子学生のカルシウム（Ca）摂取量は、目標量（６５０mg/日）をほぼ満たす量（６４７±７９mg/日）であったが、女子学生の Ca 摂取量（４８０±１１mg/日）は目標量（６００mg/日）の８０％と不足していた。食品群別にみると、女子学生においてミネラル分が豊富な海藻類、小魚の摂取頻度が少なく、このことが女子学生でみられた Ca 摂取不足の主たる原因と考えられた。また、牛乳の摂取頻度が週７回以上の群は、７回未満の群に比べ骨密度の高い傾向がみられ、このことから若年期においても牛乳の摂取頻度が骨密度に影響している可能性が示唆された。Japanese people is chronically low level of calcium ingestion, therefore it is increased disorders related bone, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, rickets and other. On the other hand their prevention is closely related to dietary habit. In this study, to see about dietary habit on young people, we analyzed the result of "The Health and Nutritional Survey Project" conducted in Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Health Management, Nagasaki International University about nutrient factor relative to bone formation. The calcium ingestion on male students (647±79mg/day) was close on tentative dietary goal for preventing life-style related diseases (DG) (650mg/day) by dietary reference intakes for Japanese [2005]. But calcium ingestion on female students (480±11mg/day) was lower, about 80% compared with DG (600mg). From the results of food group frequency, this low level of calcium ingestion on female students is likely to be caused by that frequency of sea vegetable and fingerling was few. And bone density evaluation was significantly high in group over 7 times/week compared with group below 7 times/week about frequency of milk. This result suggests that frequency of milk has an affect on bone density in early life

学生の健康及び食生活意識と血液検査値の関係に対する一考察 - 健康栄養調査ﾌﾟﾛｼﾞｪｸﾄ報告 第２報 -

長崎国際大学健康管理学部健康栄養学科に所属する学生を対象に平成１７年度に実施した「健康栄養プロジェクト」の結果のうち、学生（男子４３名、女子２８５名）の食生活意識、身体状況および血液生化学検査（総コレステロール、トリアシルグリセロール、ヘモグロビン A１c、血清鉄）の関係について検討を加えた。その結果、欠食頻度が高い者ほど疲労愁訴を有する割合が高くなる傾向があった。また、欠食回数及び食生活意識と血液生化学検査値との関係に男女差が見られた。男子学生では欠食がある場合は検査値が低くなる傾向がみられたが、女子学生では欠食が無いにもかかわらず低値を示す者が多かった。このことから、今後食生活指導を行う際には、食事内容を具体的に把握し、適正な食事量を認識させる重要性が示唆された。This study, "The Health and Nutrition Survey Project" for the undergraduates (43 males and 285 females) who belong to the department of health and nutrition in Nagasaki International University, was examined to grasp their life style, physical condition, eating-habits consciousness and blood biochemical levels. We focused on their physical condition, eating-habits, especially skipping-a-meal and some blood biochemical levels (total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, hemoglobin A1c and serum iron). First of all, the complaint of physical fatigue is more on much skipping-a-meal undergraduates. Moreover, the relation the times of skipping a meal and some blood biochemical levels was different between male and female. In male undergraduates, triacylglycerol and hemoglobin A1c levels were lower on skipping a meal. In female undergraduates, although no skipping a meal, much low total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, hemoglobin A1c and serum iron levels had shown on. It was suggested we have to instruct the proper amount of meals in them, grasping not only the habit of skipping-a-meal, but also concretely their meal contents