Few studies have reported the association between the Japanese diet as food score and mortality. This study aimed to investigate adherence to the Japanese food score associated with all-cause, CVD ...and cancer mortality. A total of 58,767 (23,162 men and 35,605 women) Japanese participants aged 40-79 years, who enrolled in the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study between 1988 and 1990, were included. The Japanese food score was derived from the components of seven food groups (beans and bean products, fresh fishes, vegetables, Japanese pickles, fungi, seaweeds and fruits) based on the FFQ. The total score ranged from 0 to 7, and participants were divided into five categories based on scores (0-2, 3, 4, 5 and 6-7). Hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI for all-cause, CVD and cancer mortality based on sex were estimated using Cox proportional models. During the follow-up period until 2009, 11 692 participants with all-cause, 3408 with CVD and 4247 with cancer died. The multivariable HR in the 6-7 and 0-2 Japanese food score groups were 0·93 (95 % CI 0·86, 1·01) in men and 0·82 (95 % CI 0·75, 0·90) in women for all-cause mortality and 0·89 (95 % CI 0·76, 1·04) in men and 0·66 (95 % CI 0·56, 0·77) in women for CVD mortality. Our findings suggest that adherence to the Japanese food score consisting of food combinations characterised by a Japanese diet may help in preventing all-cause and CVD mortality, especially in women.
Abstract : Long working hours have the possibility to influence human health. In Japan, it is well known that teachers have long working hours, and the number of leaves of absence due to mental ...disorders among public school teachers increased from 2,687 in 2002 to 4,960 in 2012. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between long working hours and psychological distress among school teachers. Methods : This cross-sectional study was conducted from mid-July to September in 2013 in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. Questionnaires were distributed to 1,245 teachers in public junior high schools. Information about basic characteristics, including working hours, and responses to the General Health Questionnaire-28 were collected anonymously. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the association between long working hours and psychological distress by gender. Results : Of the 1,245 teachers contacted, 558 (44.8%) responded. After excluding responses with missing data, the final sample included 522 teachers (337 males and 185 females). Psychological distress was identified in 47.8% of males and 57.8% of females. Our results showed a significantly increased risk only in males working > 60 hours per week (adjusted OR=4.71 95% Cl 2.04-11.56 compared with those working <- 40 hours per week. There were no significant associations between long working hours and psychological distress for females. Conclusions : There is a significant association between long working hours and psychological distress in male teachers. However, the causal relationship remains unclear. Further studies such as cohort studies with large sample sizes are needed.
Background: Previous research has established that women accumulate less moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) than men. To date, however, little is known about the gender differences in ...device-based activity patterns of sedentary behavior (SB) and light-intensity physical activity (LPA). We aimed to compare time spent in SB and different intensities of physical activity taking into account of co-dependence of time use domains.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Suttu town, Hokkaido, Japan. Data were analyzed from 634 Japanese adults (278 men, aged 19–92 years) who provided valid accelerometer (HJA-750C) data. Gender differences in activity behavior patterns were tested using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) based on isometric log-ratio transformations of time use, adjusting for age. We also developed bootstrap percentile confidence intervals (CI) to support the interpretation of which behavior differed between genders.Results: Overall, participants had percent time spent in SB, LPA, MVPA during wearing time (mean, 14.8 hours) corresponding to 53.9%, 41.7%, and 4.4% of wearing time, respectively. Activity behavior patterns differed significantly between genders after controlling for time spent in all activities. Women spent relatively 13.3% (95% CI, 9.9–15.9%) less time in SB and 19.8% (95% CI, 14.9–24.6%) more time in LPA compared to men. The difference of time spent in MVPA was not statistically significant.Conclusions: In contrast with previous studies, our findings suggest that Japanese women are more physically active than men when all intensities of activities are considered. Given the health benefits of LPA, evaluating only MVPA may disproportionately underestimate the level of physical activity of women.
The relationship between physical activity (PA) and the risk of frailty has not reached a conclusive result. This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of PA on the onset ...of frailty in the community-dwelling middle and older age adults by pooling data from cohort studies.
A systematic literature search was performed via PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science up to June 01, 2021. Pooled adjusted effect estimates (ES) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by using the random-effect model and by comparing the highest with lowest levels of PA. Heterogeneity was tested using the I2 statistic and Q-test. The quality of evidence was evaluated by using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.
A total of ten cohort studies with 14 records were selected, and the GRADE approach classified the quality of evidence as low. In comparison with the lowest level of PA, the highest level of PA was associated with 41% decreased odds of frailty (ES: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.51-0.67; I2 = 70.0%, P-heterogeneity < 0.001) after pooling results from included studies. In stratified analysis by frailty assessment approach, the highest level of PA was significantly associated with 37% (ES 0.63, 95% CI: 0.52-0.77, 49% (ES: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.41-0.63), and 30% (ES: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.65-0.75) reduced odds of frailty when pooling studies using criteria of physical frailty, multidimensional model, and accumulation of disability, respectively. Stratified analyses further by PA indicators and PA assessment tools yielded similar protective effects in any subgroups.
This study with moderate-certainty evidence shows that a higher level of PA was associated with lower odds of frailty, and the benefits of PA for frailty prevention were independent of frailty assessment tools, PA indicators, and PA assessment methods. Findings from this study may help implement active exercise strategies to prevent frailty.
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Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract : Long working hours and sleep problems among public junior high school teachers in Japan : Akira BANNAI, et al. Department of Public Health, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine ...- Objectives: Long working hours may impact human health. In Japan, teachers tend to work long hours. From 2002 to 2012, the number of leaves of absence due to diseases other than mental disorders, or mental disorders among public school teachers increased by 1.3 times (from 2,616 to 3,381), or 1.8 times (from 2,687 to 4,960), respectively. The present study aimed to investigate the association between long working hours and sleep problems among public school teachers. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from mid-July to September 2013 in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. Questionnaires were distributed to 1,245 teachers in public junior high schools. Information about basic characteristics including working hours, and responses to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were collected anonymously. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the association between long working hours and sleep problems separately by sex. Results: The response rate was 44.8% (n=558). After excluding ineligible responses, the final sample comprised 515 teachers (335 males and 180 females). Sleep problems was identified in 41.5% of males and 44.4% of females. Our results showed a significantly increased risk of sleep problems in males working >60 hours per week (OR 2.05 95% Cl 1.01-4.30) compared with those working <=40 hours per week. No significant association was found in females. Conclusions: There is a significant association between long working hours and sleep problems in male teachers. Reducing working hours may contribute to a reduction in sleep problems.
The Japanese diet has attracted attention as a factor contributing to the Japanese population’s longevity. A typical Japanese meal, traditionally called “ichiju-sansai,” is composed of various ...dishes. This study assessed the nutritional adequacy of the Japanese diet using the number of dishes in all meals (NDAM) compared to existing dietary diversity indices (DDIs). This cross-sectional study used data from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey. A total of 25,976 participants aged ≥20 y were included in this study. NDAM was calculated for whole dishes or single foods (except supplements and beverages) from one-day weighted dietary records. The food variety score (FVS), number of foods, dietary diversity score (DDS), and number of food groups are some of the existing DDIs. NDAM had relatively high positive correlation coefficients with potassium, magnesium, and dietary fiber. The partial correlation coefficients with an indicator of the overall nutrient adequacy of NDAM was 0.42 for men and 0.42 for women. It was almost the same as that of the FVS (men: 0.44, women: 0.42) and DDS (men: 0.44, women: 0.43). On the other hand, NDAM, similar to existing DDIs, was also positively correlated with nutrient restriction in both sexes. These findings indicate that the nutrient adequacy of NDAM is similar to that of the existing DDIs. Because of the higher sodium intake and cholesterol intake in higher NDAM and existing DDIs, the effect of higher NDAM on health outcomes must be investigated in future studies.
The association between daily walking and pneumonia mortality, stratified by the presence of disease conditions, such as myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke, was investigated.
The study participants ...were 22,280 Japanese individuals (9,067 men and 13,213 women) aged 65-79 years. Inverse propensity weighted competing risk model was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for pneumonia mortality.
After a median of 11.9 years of follow-up, 1,203 participants died of pneumonia. Participants who did not have a history of MI or stroke and who walked for 1 hour/day or more were less likely to die from pneumonia (HR 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82-0.98) than those walked for 0.5 hours/day. A similar inverse association of pneumonia and walking (0.5 hours/day) was observed among participants with a history of MI (HR 0.66; 95% CI, 0.48-0.90). Among the participants with a history of stroke, those who walked for 0.6-0.9 hours/day were less likely to die because of pneumonia (HR 0.65; 95% CI, 0.43-0.98).
Regular walking for ≥1 hour/day may reduce the risk of pneumonia mortality in elderly individuals with or without cardiovascular disease history.
This cohort study aimed to investigate the association between household income and incident hypertension in a Japanese employed population. During 2012, a total of 4314 normotensive daytime ...employees (3153 men and 1161 women) were included in this study. Participants had a wide range of occupations and were employed at one of 12 workplaces from various economic sectors in Japan. After a 2-year follow-up, incident hypertension was compared among groups according to household income: <5.0, 5.0–7.9, 8.0–9.9, and ≥10.0 million Japanese yen (¥)/year. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate the hazard ratio for incident hypertension in each household income group, compared with the group earning <5.0 million ¥/year. The hazard ratios for men were 1.52 (95% confidence interval, 1.08–2.18) for 5.0–7.9 million ¥/year, 1.49 (0.98–2.27) for 8.0–9.9 million ¥/year, and 1.92 (1.23–3.01) for ≥10.0 million ¥/year after adjusting for age, baseline systolic blood pressure, worksite, type of occupation, number of family members, and smoking status. This positive relationship was attenuated but remained significant after further adjustment for alcohol consumption and body mass index, both of which were higher among men with higher household income. Conversely, there was no significant difference for women in the risk of incident hypertension among household income groups, although those with higher household income tended to have a lower risk of incident hypertension. Household income is positively associated with the onset of hypertension in Japanese employed men working daytime hours.
The relationship between participation in extracurricular school club activities in adolescence and subsequent depressive state experiences in adulthood, after joining the workforce, is unclear. The ...present study aimed to explore this relationship in new recruits of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). In April 2013, 925 recruits of the JGSDF, all of whom were male and aged 18–27 years, were enrolled. Club activity status during high school was categorized as follows: participated in sports club, participated in nonsport club, or no club participation. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 20-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), at the baseline survey and a second survey conducted 2 months later, in June 2013. Analysis of covariance was used for association between club activity status and changes in CES-D scores. After a 2-month period, results showed a significantly higher average of CES-D score changes for participants in nonsport club activities (β = 3.90, 95% confidence interval = 2.22–6.71) or those with no club activities (β = 2.24, 95% confidence interval = 0.20–2.94), compared to those who participated in a sports club. These findings were adjusted for age, baseline CES-D score, regular exercise, smoking status, alcohol consumption, sleep duration, and breakfast habits. Recruits without a history of sports club participation may be at higher risk of developing depressive symptoms than those who participated in a sports club. Our results may be useful for the early detection of people who are susceptible to depression engaged in occupations such as the JDSF.
Serum fatty acids (FAs) exist in the four lipid fractions of triglycerides (TGs), phospholipids (PLs), cholesteryl esters (CEs) and free fatty acids (FFAs). Total fatty acids (TFAs) indicate the sum ...of FAs in them. In this study, four statistical analysis methods, which are independent component analysis (ICA), factor analysis, common principal component analysis (CPCA) and principal component analysis (PCA), were conducted to uncover food sources of FAs among the four lipid fractions (CE, FFA, and TG + PL). Among the methods, ICA provided the most suggestive results. To distinguish the animal fat intake from endogenous fatty acids, FFA variables in ICA and factor analysis were studied. ICA provided more distinct suggestions of FA food sources (endogenous, plant oil intake, animal fat intake, and fish oil intake) than factor analysis. Moreover, ICA was discovered as a new approach to distinguish animal FAs from endogenous FAs, which will have an impact on epidemiological studies. In addition, the correlation coefficients between a published dataset of food FA compositions and the loading values obtained in the present ICA study suggested specific foods as serum FA sources. In conclusion, we found that ICA is a useful tool to uncover food sources of serum FAs.
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