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This aim of this study was to describe the association between shopping difficulty and food accessibility for elderly people living alone in Japan.A cross-sectoral, multilevel survey was designed to measure shopping difficulty from a food accessibility perspective. The questionnaire was distributed by mail.The sample was drawn from seven towns and cities across Japan.A geographic information system was used to select the sample: it identified the proximity of elderly people living alone to a supermarket. In total, 2,028 elderly people (725 men and 1,303 women) responded to the questionnaire.The binary dependent variables were shopping is easy/shopping is difficult. A logistic regression analysis adjusting for age and area of residence and using stepwise variable analyses was performed.The response rate was 58.6%. Overall, 14.6% of elderly men and 21.7% of elderly women consider shopping difficult. The stepwise logistic analysis showed that the food accessibility factors strongly related to shopping difficulty are infrequent car use (women: OR = 6.97), walking difficulties (men: OR = 2.81, women: OR = 3.48), poor eyesight (men: OR = 2.26, women: OR = 1.75), not cooking lunch by oneself (men: OR = 1.63, women: OR = 1.72), not having anyone to help with food shopping (women: OR = 1.45) and living over 1 km away from a supermarket (men: OR = 2.30, women: OR = 2.97).The study concludes that elderly people's assessment of shopping difficulty is related to their food accessibility. Important food accessibility aspects include car or motorbike ownership, walking continuously for 1 km, poor eyesight, and having cooking skills and having someone to help with shopping. These physical activity restrictions have a greater influence on shopping difficulty than do either income or proximity to a supermarket.

Dietary assessment of community-dwelling Japanese older adults who live alone using Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) is limited. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of inadequate nutrient intake among Japanese community-dwelling older adults by sex and young-old and old-old population groups to identify the most vulnerable groups that need support. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 2012 to October 2013 with community-dwelling adults aged 65 y or older who lived alone. Participants were drawn from six cities in four Japanese prefectures. We used two days of dietary survey data to estimate participants' usual intake. The proportion of inadequate intake was assessed using the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) cut-point method, Tolerable Upper Intake Level, and the tentative dietary goal for preventing life-style related diseases (DG) based on DRIs for Japanese, 2015. Data for 494 participants (162 male, 332 female) over 988 d were examined to assess nutrient intake. We calculated the proportion of inadequate intake between males and females and between young-old and old-old population groups (65-74 y and ≥75 y) using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests. For six nutrients, the estimated proportion of participants with a usual intake below EAR was higher in males than females. In addition, a higher estimated proportion of female participants was within the DG range for the percentage of energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates, and had a usual intake of two nutrients above DG than males. Our findings showed that among Japanese older adults, males were more vulnerable in terms of inadequate nutrient intake compared with females.

To examine the relationship between dietary diversity and food access among elderly living alone.In September 2013, a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted with 4,348 elderly aged 65-89 years, living in A city in Saitama Prefecture. The subjects answered about their health conditions, frequency of food consumption, difficulty of food store access, social support, food preparation, and so on. The response rate was 59.6%. The dietary diversity score (DDS) was calculated as the number of food groups consumed in a day (0 to 10). The DDS was validated by its association with independence and health status of the elderly. As indicators of food access, objective food access was measured using a geographic information system (GIS), and subjective food access was measured by the questionnaire. Responses of 1,043 subjects (452 male and 591 female) were analyzed after excluding those who live with others in an actual household composition. We classified the subjects into two groups according to the DDS: low group (three or less) and high group (four or more). Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted using the DDS groups as the dependent variable, and subjective food access and other factors as independent variables, adjusting for age, income, subjective economic status, education, and frailty status.The number of subjects in each group were as follows: low=107 (23.7%), high=345 (76.3%) for males, high=263 (44.5%), low=328 (55.5%) for females. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the difficulty in subjective food store access was associated with a low DDS in males [OR=4.00, 95% CI (1.36-11.82)] as well as in females [OR=2.24, 95% CI (1.11-4.51)]. Further, for females, social support and preparation of supper by oneself were significantly associated with their DDS. No significant relationships were found between objective food store access and DDS in both males and females.The DDS was strongly associated with subjective food store access among the elderly living alone. For females, social support and meal preparation skills were also suggested as important factors affecting their DDS.

Objective: Many studies reported that obesity rate in the Western countries is higher in schizophrenia patients than in general population. In this study, we surveyed nationwide Body Mass Index (BMI) status of hospitalized Japanese schizophrenia patients. Methods: Subjects included 15,171 patients (7,897 men and 7,274 women) hospitalized for schizophrenia, who were sampled from all 47 administrative divisions in Japan. The BMI data of these patients were compared to those of the general population in the 2009 National Health and Nutrition Survey conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Health. Results: The median BMI value in the patients was 21.6 kg/m2 (first quartile, 19.1; third quartile, 24.5). The percentages of BMI in obese, normal-weight, and underweight patients were 21.6%, 58.2%, and 20.2%, respectively. In the Japanese male patients, frequency of obesity was lower, and underweight was higher than those in the general population. In female patients, frequency of both obesity and underweight were higher than those in the general population. Conclusions: Our results provided evidence that underweight as well as obesity is a characteristic in Japanese schizophrenia inpatients.

Since a fact-finding survey was conducted in 2005 all over Japan on the eating habits of psychiatric patients living at home, and the results showed that 44.6% of the patients were obese. We carried out a study of dietary factors associated with obesity in patients with schizophrenia living at home in order to develop a dietary education program. Twenty obese patients and 20 non-obese patients were randomly selected from 30 - 50s male patients with schizophrenia in one mental hospital. Dietary survey of 3-non-consecutive-day was conducted. Eighteen obese patients and 17 non-obese patients completed the survey. The obese patients had significantly higher intake of carbohydrate (P = 0.02), consumption of snacks with junk foods (P = 0.04), and intake of energy from snacks (P ) than those of non-obese patients. Based on this dietary survey, it becomes necessary to focus on snacks, in addition to basic focus on balanced diet to prevent further obesity in those schizophrenic patients.

【目的】トランスセオレティカルモデル（TTM）を応用し，職場の男性を対象に栄養教育と食環境介入を6か月間実施し，体重コントロールに及ぼす効果を検証する。【方法】無作為化比較試験。新潟市内の5つの事業所で，肥満および肥満予備群の男性対象者を募集した。解析対象者は65例（介入群32例：平均年齢45.6歳，対照群33例：46.0歳）であった。介入は，TTMを応用した栄養教育と給食でのヘルシーメニュー，栄養情報の提供を6か月間行った。一次アウトカムは体重とBody Mass Index (BMI) とした。二次アウトカムは栄養素等摂取量と減量，食生活，運動，セルフモニタリングの行動変容ステージとし，影響評価として食行動，食知識，体重コントロールへの態度，社員食堂へのアクセスを質問紙法で調査した。【結果】体重とBMIは，対照群の増加量が介入群より有意に多かった。栄養素等および食品群別摂取量のうち，穀類の減少量が介入群で有意に多かった。行動変容ステージのうち「健康のために食生活を変える」と，影響評価のうち「社員食堂での情報へのアクセス」は，介入群の得点の増加量が対照群より有意に多かった。【結論】TTMを応用した栄養教育と食環境介入を6か月間実施することで，対象者の社員食堂での情報へのアクセスが高まり，「健康のために食生活を変える」行動変容のステージが前進し体重をコントロールさせる可能性が示唆された。

【目的】特定給食施設において適切な栄養管理が行われているかを把握し，必要な指導・助言を行うために，各自治体は特定給食施設に栄養管理報告書の提出を求めている。日本人の食事摂取基準（2010年版）には，給食施設での食事摂取基準の活用の基礎理論としてPDCAサイクルに基づく栄養管理の手順が示されている。本研究では，特定給食施設における食事摂取基準の活用の実態を把握するために，各自治体の栄養管理報告書の書式から基礎理論の手順に基づく栄養管理の実施が把握できるかを調査した。【方法】栄養管理報告書の書式は2010年3～4月に厚生労働省が収集した。114の自治体（都道府県，保健所を設置する市および特別区）から提出のあった書式のうち，「病院・介護保険社会福祉施設用」の87自治体と「事業所用」86自治体の書式について集計した。集計内容は『対象集団の特性の把握』，『身体状況や食事摂取量の把握』，『食事計画の決定と実施の評価』とした。【結果】『対象集団の特性の把握』に必要な給食対象集団の特性と人数の両方の記載を求めていない自治体が，「病院・介護保険社会福祉施設用」，「事業所用」ともに2.3％認められた。『身体状況や食事摂取量の把握』に必要な項目として，半数以上の自治体が把握している項目は，「病院・介護保険社会福祉施設用」の身長と体重に関する項目のみであった。『食事計画の決定と実施の評価』に必要な項目として，給与栄養目標量の記載を求めている自治体は「病院・介護保険社会福祉施設用」，「事業所用」ともに約95％であったが，食事摂取量の記載を求めている自治体は約11.5％に過ぎなかった。【結論】本研究で収集された栄養管理報告書において，給食の食事計画とその評価・計画の見直しにつながる食事摂取量の評価を把握できる項目は限られていた。給食の栄養管理の手順に即した書式の検討が必要である。

The effect of nutrition education using self-monitoring of blood glucose on glycemic control was investigated in the present study. Of 36 males and 25 females aged 30 - 69 years under outpatient treatment at 3 hospitals in Niigata prefecture, Japan, 61 non-insulin-treated obese type 2 diabetes patients with HbA1c of 6.9% - 9.3% and body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or higher were randomly allocated. Thirty and 31 patients were analyzed in intervention and control groups, respectively. The intervention group performed self-monitoring of blood glucose 2 hours after supper twice a week for 6 months and underwent nutrition education on the association between meals and postprandial blood glucose once every 2 months. The primary outcome was glycated hemoglobin, with the secondary outcome of body mass index. Stages of change for eating the appropriate supper amount were investigated to verify the process of the educational effect, and satisfaction with diabetes treatment and well-being were investigated to verify the continuity of treatment. On intention-to-treat analysis, glycated hemoglobin (mean ± SD) decreased from 7.9% ± 0.6% to 7.7% ± 0.6% in the intervention group but increased from 7.9% ± 0.6% to 8.1% ± 0.6% in the control group, showing a significant difference in the change after intervention between the groups (p = 0.027). In the intervention group, body mass index decreased from 28.9 ± 3.8 to 28.4 ± 3.7 kg/m2 (p = 0.019), the stages of change to learn the appropriate amount of supper progressed (p = 0.026), and satisfaction with diabetes treatment increased (p = 0.031).

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of high-intensity physical activity during training on the biochemical status of thiamin and riboflavin in athletes. Thiamin and riboflavin concentrations in whole blood of a group of 19 athletes (6 men and 13 women) were measured during a low-intensity preparatory period and compared with measurements taken during a high-intensity training period. Additional variables measured included anthropometric characteristics, estimated energy expenditure during swim training, distance covered, resting energy expenditure obtained by indirect calorimetry, estimated energy requirement per day, and dietary intake of energy, thiamin, and riboflavin estimated from 3-day food records. For both male and female subjects, no major changes were observed in anthropometric characteristics or dietary intake, but energy expenditure during swim training per day significantly increased in the intensive-training period (496 ± 0 kcal in the preparation period compared with 995 ± 96 kcal in the intensive-training period for male subjects [p < .001] and 361 ± 27 kcal vs. 819 ± 48 kcal, respectively, for female subjects [p < .001]). Blood thiamin concentration decreased significantly during the intensive-training period compared with the preparation period (41 ± 6 ng/ml decreased to 36 ± 3 ng/ml for male subjects [p = .048], and 38 ± 10 ng/ml decreased to 31 ± 5 ng/ml for female subjects [p = .004]); however, the concentration of riboflavin was unchanged. These results suggest that intense training affects thiamin concentration, but not riboflavin concentration, in the whole blood of college swimmers.

【目的】「1日に野菜を5皿以上食べること」を目標とした行動変容ステージを評価するための日本版アルゴリズムと習慣的野菜摂取量及び認知的要因との関連を検討すること。【方法】新潟市内に社員食堂を有する20の企業施設に属する20～59歳の成人男性勤労者を対象に，2009年9月に自記式質問紙調査を実施した。野菜摂取量の測定は簡易型自記式食事歴法質問票を用い，認知的要因は知識及び自己効力感の尺度より把握した。行動変容ステージの評価は目標行動の実施度と行動変容の準備性の2段階で構成したアルゴリズムを用い，各関連について検討した。【結果】解析対象521名 (中央値42歳) の行動変容ステージは前熟考期58.5％，熟考期20.7％，準備期13.8％，実行期＋維持期6.7％であり，これらと年齢との間には有意な関連 (p＝0.028) がみられたが，BMIとの間には関連がなかった。1,000 kcal当たりの野菜摂取量は，中央値で前熟考期 88.2 g，熟考期 78.4 g，準備期 98.9 g，実行期＋維持期 116.8 gとステージ間で有意な差 (年齢調整後 p＝0.004) がみられ，認知的要因もステージ間で差がみられた。また，1日に食べる野菜の皿数と野菜摂取量との間には強い正相関が認められた。【結論】本行動変容ステージのアルゴリズムは，半定量的な野菜摂取量及び認知的要因との間に明確な関連がみられた。集団への評価指標としての活用等が考えられるが，個人への活用に際しては誤分類に留意する必要がある。

Overweight and obesity increase the risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic disorders and are increasing in Japan, particularly among men. Several prospective studies have suggested that high vegetable intake is inversely associated with weight gain. Here, the association between vegetable consumption and weight gain in a group of food manufacturing workers over the course of one year was investigated.The study was a one-year cohort study of the nutrition and lifestyle survey. The study population consisted of 900 and 910 Japanese employees (aged 19-60 years) from a manufacturing company located in Musashino City, Tokyo, Japan, that were administered the same validated brief self-administered diet history and dietary lifestyle questionnaire in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Clinical examinations of body weight were also performed to assess changes in weight. We analyzed participants who responded in both 2006 and 2007 (n=478).Risk of weight gain of more than 3 kg was significantly lower in the group consuming the most vegetables than in the group consuming the least, and this difference remained significant after adjustment for baseline age, sex, and consumption of other foods (p for trend=0.028).Weight gain was inversely associated with high consumption of vegetables. Encouraging Japanese employees to consume more vegetables may be an important strategy in controlling weight gain and preventing metabolic syndrome.背景与目的：超重和肥胖会增加高血压、2 型糖尿病和其他代谢性疾病的风 险，这种现象在日本呈现增加趋势，特别是男性。一些前瞻性研究表明，高的 蔬菜摄入量与增重呈负相关。该研究对一家日本制造公司的员工蔬菜摄入量和 增重之间的关系进行了为期一年的研究。方法与研究设计：该研究是一个为期 一年的营养和生活方式的调查研究。在2006 和2007 年，对日本东京武藏野市 一家制造公司的900 和910 名日本员工（年龄在19～60 岁）分别对其进行简 易饮食史和饮食生活方式的问卷调查，同时也进行体重的临床检查以便评估体 重的变化。我们分析了在2006 和2007 均参与调查的478 名对象。结果：摄入 蔬菜最多的人群中，增重超过3 千克的风险显著低于摄入蔬菜最少者；在调整 基线年龄、性别和其他食品消费量的影响后，这种差异仍然存在（趋势 p=0.028）。结论：增重与高的蔬菜摄入量呈负相关。鼓励日本员工多吃蔬 菜，可能是控制增重和预防代谢综合征的重要策略。.

The use of contraceptives has become prevalent among females in Thailand in the past 20 years, and oral contraceptive use has been suggested to trigger changes in fat intake, energy expenditure, fat metabolism and blood pressure. Based on field investigations of 391 married women aged 20 years or over in Yasothon Province, North-east Thailand, this study aims to elucidate the effects of oral contraceptive use on body mass index (BMI: kg/m2 ) and blood pressure, taking into account reproductive histories and socioeconomic conditions. The proportion of obese (BMI> 25) subjects was high in the age groups 30–39, 40–49 and 50–59, accounting for, respectively, 39·4%, 51·1% and 48·5% of these populations. The proportion of women with hypertension (90/140 mmHg) was 23·7%, 18·5% and 26·2% in the 40–49, 50–59 and 60–69 age groups. Current contraceptive practices in the studied population included sterilization by operation, oral contraception and injection. These methods accounted for 43·0%, 12·8% and 8·2% of the population, respectively. Sociodemographic factors such as reproductive history, years of education and household income were not significantly related to BMI or to blood pressure (ANOVA with age adjustment). In contrast, oral contraceptive users had significantly higher BMIs and diastolic blood pressures (p

Health risks caused by the chronic exposure to arsenic-contaminated groundwater has been recognized in many Asian and Latin American countries. While the health effects among adults have been well documented, those among the younger generations including children, infants, babies, and fetus have been scarcely reported. In this minireview, possible effects of chronic arsenic exposure on the younger generations are discussed in terms of skin manifestations among the children, exposure among newborns and infants especially from the breast milk, child growth and development, reproductive performance. For each of the topics, our preliminary results obtained in an arsenic-contaminated area in Bangladesh will be described, followed by a brief overview on the recent publications dealing with the topic. Although there exist some human data that suggest possible effects on some of the above-mentioned endpoints, the data as a whole is too premature to conclude whether the arsenic poses serious threat to younger generations or not. Considering the public health importance of toxic effects imposed during the early life stages, it is clear that much more scientific efforts should be made to elucidate the possible effects of arsenic on the younger generations.

The concept of and method for community nutrition have been addressed following development of the theory and practice of health promotion. The new concept of public nutrition is introduced in this article.Recent development of the theory and method for health promotion has been focused on empowerment and ecology as the key concepts. The creation of a healthy ecosystem for humans, society and nature is being achieved through empowerment of the individual and community.The Indaba Declaration of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development emphasizes the nature and quality of food systems, and therefore diet and nutrition are the fundamental determinants of human health and welfare, and of the whole living and natural world.The goal of community nutrition is to improve the health and nutritional status of people in the community by the government health sector and the community. However, this scope is not enough to achieve a healthy ecosystem for humans, society and nature through empowerment. A new principle is therefore necessary for developing public nutrition that incorporates community nutrition with focus on the policy and decision-making process involving the various stakeholders, sectors and communities, each of which should have different objectives and values.

Background Arsenic contamination in groundwater affects 35 million people in Bangladesh, but the prevalence of arsenic contamination in local communities remains to be clarified. As skin manifestations are sensitive markers of arsenicosis, we examined the skin of adults and adolescents in two villages to elucidate the severity of arsenicosis. Methods Five hundred and sixty-one villagers were randomly selected for the evaluation of their skin. Three indicators, i.e. keratosis on the soles, keratosis on the palms, and melanosis and hypopigmentation on the trunk, were quantified for analysis. Results More than 50% of the villagers showed some skin manifestations due to arsenicosis. Keratosis on the soles was the most sensitive marker for the detection of arsenicosis at an early stage. Interestingly, the skin manifestations were more severe in males than in females. There was no correlation between the age and the severity of skin manifestations. Conclusions The prevalence of arsenicosis was quite high and males were more vulnerable to arsenic contamination. Using skin manifestations, especially keratosis on the soles, as useful markers to detect and evaluate arsenicosis, it is clear that there is an urgent need to assess the exact prevalence and severity of arsenicosis in the population of Bangladesh in order to take measures to treat and control this problem.

This study examined children’s food consumption and physical activity and their parents’ cultural capital levels in three Japanese communities. A total of 729 parents of first and second grade children enrolled in nine elementary schools in Chiba (urban), Niigata (suburban), and Miyazaki (rural) participated in a survey. Factor analysis resulted in three cultural capital variables: preservation of traditional Japanese food culture, parents’ aversion to Western foods, and parents’ openness to foods from other cultural groups. Correlations and ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. Children in Chiba consumed significantly higher amounts of store bought vegetables, fruits, and Western franchise fast foods compared to children in Miyazaki. Consumption of local vegetables was the highest in Miyazaki. Preservation of traditional Japanese food culture was associated with a higher level of physical activity among children. Western food aversion was associated with consumption of fresh vegetables and local/seas...

Objectives: The current study examined parental perceptions of sociocultural factors associated with healthy child feeding practices among parents of preschool-age children in rural Japan. Methods: Fifteen Japanese mothers of preschool-age children participated in this qualitative study. These participants were aged 22–39 years and resided in a rural town in western Japan. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews to assess parental perceptions of healthy child feeding practices and their relationships with globalization and localization. These interviews were transcribed, translated into English and coded, based on the principles of grounded theory. A codebook was developed and pre-identified, and the newly-identified themes from this codebook were examined and compared. Results: Overall, local and seasonal foods, along with traditional Japanese foods and simple foods ( soshoku), were considered to be beneficial for children. Participants also noted that children were expected to be mindful and exhibit good table manners that reflect cultural values related to meal-time socializing or family bonding, and food appreciation. On the other hand, the majority of the participants stated that foods containing food additives and imported foods were unsuitable for children. Participants noted that strong social capital, especially social support from their mothers or mothers-in-law, as well as social networks for obtaining fresh local foods, contributed to healthy child feeding practices. Cultural capital (including the preservation of traditional Japanese dietary habits, eating rules and inter-generational commensality), was also identified as being key to healthy feeding practices. Conclusions: Identifying and promoting the social and cultural capital that positively support healthy child feeding practices may be an important component of nutrition education programs.

Spot urine samples were collected from the inhabitants of two rural communities in northwestern Bangladesh. We compared arsenic levels in the urine samples ([As](u); n = 346) with those in water from tube wells ([As](tw); range < 1-535 microg/L; n = 86) on an individual basis. The small variation of [As](u) within subjects and highly positive correlation with [As](tw) indicate that [As](u) is a useful indicator of exposure. Analyses of [As](u) showed that creatinine correction was necessary, that [As](u) only reflected recent exposure, and that there were substantial interindividual differences for a given [As](tw) level. To evaluate the toxic effects of arsenic exposure, we constructed a system for rating skin manifestations, which revealed distinct sex-related differences. Comparison of males and females in the same households confirmed that skin manifestations were more severe in the males, and in the males of one community a dose-response relationship between [As](u) and the degree of skin manifestation was evident. The results of this study indicate that [As](u) in spot urine samples can be used as an exposure indicator for As. They suggest that there might be sex-related, and perhaps community-related, differences in the relationship between [As](u) and skin manifestations, although several confounding factors, including sunlight exposure and smoking habits, might contribute to the observed sex difference. The existence of such differences should be further confirmed and examined in other populations to identify the subpopulations sensitive to chronic arsenic toxicity.

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is a serious nutritional problem in hospitalized elderly patients. Serum albumin, transthyretin (prealbumin), and total protein have been used as biochemical indicators of protein nutritional status, but taking blood from the elderly is difficult and invasive. We therefore assessed the possibility of using saliva or urine as noninvasive materials to estimate serum concentrations of albumin, transthyretin and total protein. Blood, saliva and urine were collected from 32 hospitalized elderly (aged 68–97 y) and the correlation between the concentrations of albumin, transthyretin and total protein in serum and those in saliva or urine were evaluated. There was no correlation among them, but the concentrations of albumin and transthyretin adjusted for the concentration of IgG in saliva were significantly correlated with the concentrations of albumin and transthyretin in serum (albumin: R 2 = 0.308, p=0.0010, transthyretin: R 2 = 0.433, p

The study aimed to clarify the seasonal fluctuations in energy balance and their factors among rice-growing farmers in Northeast Thailand whose rice production was enough to their food energy demand.Prospective and repeated measurements in the field.A rain-fed rice-farming village.Eight pairs of husband and wife.In each of four periods in a year, anthropometry, energy expenditure survey with heart-rate monitoring and minute-by-minute activity recording, and food consumption survey were conducted for each subject for 4 days.The change of body weight was modest but differed significantly (P0.001) between pre-harvest and post-harvest seasons: 1.3 kg (2.3%) for males, 2.5 kg (4.3%) for females. Total energy expenditure (TEE) fluctuated markedly between the 4 seasons (P0.001 for males and females), but total energy intake (TEI) fluctuated to lesser extents (P0.05 for females only). In relation to energy expenditure, physiological indicators (except respiratory quotient) did not fluctuate throughout the year but behavioral indicators did. The changes in body weight were significantly correlated with the changes in TEE (r = 0.60, P0.05 for males; r = 0.83, P0.01 for females) but not with the changes in TEI; TEE and TEI were not correlated.The modest seasonal changes in body weight among rain-fed rice farmers in Northeast Thailand were caused by the lack of response of TEI to the change of TEE.

Many studies have reported a high prevalence of obesity in patients with schizophrenia compared to the general population. However, no nationwide survey of schizophrenic inpatients has been conducted in Japan. The aims of this study were to conduct a large-scale survey of BMI among hospitalized patients with schizophrenia in Japan, identify the prevalence of obesity and underweight, and examine its associated factors.This was a cross-sectional study. The subjects were 14,591 schizophrenic inpatients (7,645 males and 6,946 females) with complete data from 89 facilities in Japan that agreed to participate in this study. Survey items included age, gender, height, weight, BMI, length of hospital stay, antipsychotic agents, and types of hospital ward, and the survey took place between July to December 2010.When the BMI distribution was compared between the general adult population and patients, the rate of obesity was 26.1% in the general adult population and 21.9% in the patients, being lower among the patients, and the rate of underweight was 7.0% in the general adult population and 19.5% in the patients, being 2.8 times higher among the patients. Subsequently, logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with obesity and underweight. As the results, the obesity odds ratio was 1.32 times higher in patients in their 30s than in their 20s, 1.31 times higher in females than males, 0.62 times higher with aor = 1-year hospital stay than3-month stay, 1.42 times higher in patients receivingor = 4 antipsychotic agents than those receiving single typical agents, and 0.58 times higher in patients kept in a locked ward than those in an open ward. The underweight odds ratio was 2.03 times higher in patients in theiror = 70s than in their 20s, 1.18 times higher in females than males, 1.47 times higher with a 3-month1-year hospital stay than3-month stay, 0.7 times higher in patients receivingor = 4 antipsychotic agents than those receiving single typical or atypical agents, and 1.81 times higher in patients kept in a locked ward than those in an open ward.Obesity in Japanese schizophrenic inpatients was associated with3-month hospitalization, antipsychotic polypharmacy, and an open ward, whereas underweight was associated withor = 3-month hospitalization, the administration of single typical or atypical antipsychotic agents, and a locked ward, independent from age and gender.

A core construct of the Transtheoretical model is that the processes and stages of change are strongly related to observable behavioral changes. We created the Processes of Change Scale of vegetable consumption behavior and examined the validity and reliability of this scale.In September 2009, a self-administered questionnaire was administered to male Japanese employees, aged 20-59 years, working at 20 worksites in Niigata City in Japan. The stages of change (precontempration, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance stage) were measured using 2 items that assessed participants' current implementation of the target behavior (eating 5 or more servings of vegetables per day) and their readiness to change their habits. The Processes of Change Scale of vegetable consumption behavior comprised 10 items assessing 5 cognitive processes (consciousness raising, emotional arousal, environmental reevaluation, self-reevaluation, and social liberation) and 5 behavioral processes (commitment, rewards, helping relationships, countering, and environment control). Each item was selected from an existing scale. Decisional balance (pros [2 items] and cons [2 items]), and self-efficacy (3 items) were also assessed, because these constructs were considered to be relevant to the processes of change. The internal consistency reliability of the scale was examined using Cronbach's alpha. Its construct validity was examined using a factor analysis of the processes of change, decisional balance, and self-efficacy variables, while its criterion-related validity was determined by assessing the association between the scale scores and the stages of change.The data of 527 (out of 600) participants (mean age, 41.1 years) were analyzed. Results indicated that the Processes of Change Scale had sufficient internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha: cognitive processes=0.722, behavioral processes=0.803). The processes of change were divided into 2 factors: "consciousness raising, emotional arousal, environmental reevaluation, self-reevaluation, commitment, rewards, helping relationships, and social liberation" and "countering and environment control" in the factor analysis. Moreover, each construct--the processes of change, decisional balance, and self-efficacy--could be classified into different factors. The scores for cognitive processes were higher in the contemplation and preparation stages than in the precontemplation stage (P0.05). Scores for behavioral processes increased from the precontemplation stage to the preparation stages (P0.05), and were higher in the action + maintenance stage than in the precontemplation stage (P0.05).For male workers, the Processes of Change Scale has sufficient validity and reliability, as demonstrated by the internal fitness and the construct and criterion-related validity of the scale found in this study.

Search for substances that promote attachment of marine sessile organisms using the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis galloprovincialis, is not only important in aquaculture, but also provides information on the modes of action of repellents, Curcumin, BHT, and their derivatives were found to be attachment promoting for M. edulis galloprovincialis. Metal chelates were active. Compounds capable of forming chelated structure may be active because of the presence of free metals in sea water. Some of these active compounds also showed antioxidant activity.

This qualitative and quantitative research was conducted to develop an empowerment scale for health promotion volunteers (hereinafter referred to as the ESFHPV), key persons responsible for creating healthy communities.A focus group interview was conducted with four groups of health promotion volunteers from two cities in S Public Health Center of N Prefecture. A qualitative analysis was employed and a 32-item draft scale was created. The reliability and validity of this scale were then evaluated using quantitative methods. A questionnaire survey was conducted in 2009 for all 660 health promotion volunteers across the 2 cities. Of 401 respondents (response rate, 60.8%), 356 (53.9%) provided valid responses and were thus included in the analysis.1) Internal consistency was confirmed by item-total correlation analysis (I-T analysis), assessment of Cronbach's coefficient alpha for all except one item and good-poor analysis (G-P analysis). Four items were excluded from the 32-item draft scale because of correlation coefficients more than 0.7, leaving 28 items for analysis. 2) Based on the results obtained from the factor analysis performed on the 28 provisional empowerment questions, 28 items were chosen for inclusion in the ESFHPV. These items consisted of four sub-scales, namely 'activity for healthy community' (10 items), 'intention for solving health problems of the community' (10 items), 'democratic organization activity' (four items) and 'growth as individual health promotion volunteers' (four items). 3) The Cronbach's coefficient alpha for the ESFHPV and its four sub-scales were 0.93, 0.88, 0.89, 0.84 and 0.79 respectively. The coefficients of I-T analysis were between 0.33 and 0.69. 4) The health promotion volunteers who attended other community activities demonstrated significantly high scores for the ESFHPV and the four sub-scales. Persons who were above 60 years, had a longer duration of activity as a health promotion volunteer and were housewives showed significantly high scores on the first sub-scale, 'growth as individual health promotion volunteers'To measure the empowerment levels of health promotion volunteers, a 28-item scale was developed and its reliability and validity were confirmed. Health promotion volunteers as well as the public health nurses who assist them can use this scale to assess the empowerment levels of other health promotion volunteers.

The purpose of this study was to determine trends in body physique among Tongan adults, between the late 1970s and the 2000s. Two areas were studied: Kolofo'ou town (as an urban area) and 'Uiha village (as a rural area). Measurements of body weight and height were taken 4 times for all residents in both areas in 1977/79, 1983, 1990, and 2001. The number of the subjects in 1977/1979, 1983, 1990, 2001 were 130, 138, 102, 71 in the urban area and 92, 89, 90, 66 in the rural area respectively. The mean body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) values of males in the rural area increased significantly, from 28.0 kg/m2 in 1977 to 31.0 kg/m2 in 2001 (p=0.001); in females, mean BMI values were 30.6 kg/m2 in 1977 and 33.3 kg/m2 in 2001, this change was not statistically significant. However, the BMI values did not significantly change in males or females in the urban area. The proportion of rural males with a BMIor=30 kg/m2 had increased from 24.5% in 1977 to 55.5% in 2001 (p=0.012). Although the mean BMI values for males and females were higher in the urban area than in the rural area until 1990, the differences between the two areas were not observed in 2001, due to an increase of BMI in the rural area. Changes of the mean BMI values in the rural and urban areas studied, between the late 1970s and 2000s, were 10% and 4%, respectively.

Based on the author's study of anthropometry, energy expenditure and food consumption in four (pre-harvest, harvest, post-harvest and rainy) seasons among rain-fed rice growing farmers in Northeast Thailand, this article clarifies and discusses human adaptive (or maladaptive) strategies to seasonal climatic change. Total energy expenditure fluctuated markedly among the four seasons, but total energy intake did to a negligible extent. Change in body weight significantly differed between pre-harvest and post-harvest seasons, with a magnitude of 1.3 kg, or 2.3%, in males and 2.5 kg, or 4.3%, in females. Respiratory quotient (RQ) was the lowest in the post-harvest season when fat mass increased. These results demonstrated that physiological adaptation, through change in RQ in particular, to change in energy balance occurred in relatively short periods, and thus behavioral adaptation by means of changes in energy intake was observed not in specific seasons but in a year. The nutritional-ecological adaptive patterns of the rain-fed rice farmers were compared with those of various subsistence populations based on physical activity levels.

In the present study, we devised a simple method for detecting the drug interaction between oral iron preparations and phenolic hydroxyl group-containing drugs, using the coloring reaction as indicator, due to the formation of complexes or chelates. In the method, oral iron preparations and test drugs in amounts as much as single dose for adults were added to 10 ml of purified water to make sample suspensions for testing. Thirty minutes after mixing an oral iron suspension and a test drug suspension, the change of color in the mixture was observed macroscopically and graded as 0 to 3, with a marked color change judged as grade 3 and no color change as grade 0. Screening of 14 test drugs commonly used orally was carried out. When using sodium ferrous citrate preparations as oral iron, 5 were classified as grade 3, 2 as grade 2, 4 as grade 1, and 3 as grade 0, respectively. To verify usefulness of the method, the interactions suggested by screening were pharmacokinetically assessed by measuring serum concentrations of the drug in mice. When a levodopa or droxidopa preparation, judged as grade 3 in screening, was concomitantly administered with an iron preparation, a significant reduction in bioavailability of the test drug was observed, indicating possible drug interaction between the test drug and oral iron. Combined administration of an acetaminophen preparation, judged as grade 1, and oral iron preparation showed no influence on the bioavailability of the test drug, implying no detectable interactions between them. In conclusion, the simple method devised in the present study is useful for precognition of drug interactions between oral iron preparations and phenolic hydroxyl group-containing drugs, and the drugs with a higher grade in screening may induce drug interactions with oral iron.

To better understand the antifouling action of para-substituted phenolic compounds, the antimicrobial activity, which is known to be related to the antifouling activity, was examined with Trychophyton mentagrophytes. The effect of phenolic compounds on mitochondrial swelling was also investigated to elucidate their membrane-perturbation action. The variation of each activity was quantitatively analyzed by a regression analysis, using hydrophobic substituent parameter π. Each activity varied parabolically with increasing hydrophobicity of the para-substituent, the optimum π value being ca. 3.5–4.0. The introduction of a bulky substituent to the ortho position resulted in a drastic decrease in each activity. It is therefore likely that the antimicrobial activity is due to perturbation of the membrane structure. Considering the good correlation between the antifouling and antimicrobial activities of para-substituted phenols, the antifouling activity is assumed to be related to perturbation of the membrane st...

The reliability and validity of heart rate (HR) indicators for assessing physical activity level (PAL) was examined in 16 male and female farmers in northeast Thailand. For each subject, daytime HRs were monitored for 12 days, 4 days each in three agricultural seasons in a year. At the group level, the percentage of time when HR exceeded flex-HR (%Flex) had the highest reliability as an indicator of PAL even in the season of lowest activity (r > 0.91 in males and r > 0.89 in females). Regarding the reliability of each subject's %Flex for assessing PAL, regression analyses revealed coefficients of determination of 0.73-0.97 in males and 0.62-0.97 in all females except one. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), with %Flex as a covariate, showed that the difference among the slopes of PAL of different subjects was not significant in females, but was in males (P = 0.003). Comparison of measured PAL values and corresponding PAL values estimated by a regression equation for all subjects showed that 75% were within +/-0.2; further, PAL values tended to be underestimated in cases when they exceeded 2.0 for males. The results for these Thai-Lao subjects are consistent with previous studies on other populations; thus, it may be concluded that %Flex is reliable and valid for assessing PAL for a group of subjects and for assessing intraindividual variability of PAL. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 11:647-657, 1999. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.