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Abstract Background Prevalence of men with cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) is increasing in Japan. Few studies have comprehensively examined the relation between lifestyles and CMRF. Methods We examined the baseline data from 3,498 male workers ages 19 to 69 years who participated in the high-risk and population strategy for occupational health promotion (HIPOP-OHP) study at 12 large-scale companies throughout Japan. The physical activity of each participant was classified according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Dietary intake was surveyed by a semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire. We defined four CMRF in this study as follows: 1) high blood pressure (BP): systolic BP ≥ 130 mmHg, or diastolic BP ≥ 85 mmHg, or the use of antihypertensive drugs; 2) dyslipidemia: high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration < 40 mg/dl, or triglycerides concentration ≥ 150 mg/dl, or on medication for dyslipidemia; 3) impaired glucose tolerance: fasting blood sugar concentration ≥110 mg/dl; 4) obese: a body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2. Results Those who had 0 to 4 CMRF accounted for 1,597 (45.7%), 1,032 (29.5%), 587 (16.8%), 236 (6.7%), and 44 (1.3%) participants, respectively, in the Poisson distribution. Poisson regression analysis revealed that independent factors that contributed to the number of CMRF were age (b = 0.020, P < 0.01), IPAQ (b = -0.091, P < 0.01), alcohol intake (ml/day) (b = 0.001, P = 0.03), percentage of protein intake (b = 0.059, P = 0.01), and total energy intake (kcal)(b = 0.0001, P < 0.01). Furthermore, alcohol intake and its frequency had differential effects. Conclusions Alcohol intake, percent protein and total energy intake were positively associated, whereas drinking frequency and IPAQ were inversely associated, with the number of CMRF.

Abstract Background The effect of sleep on the risk of developing diabetes has not been explored in an Asian population. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of self-reported sleep duration and sleep quality on the risk of developing diabetes in a prospective cohort in Japan. Methods Data were analyzed from the cohort of participants in a High-risk and Population Strategy for Occupational Health Promotion Study (HIPOP-OHP), conducted in Japan from the year 1999 until 2004. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate the association between sleep duration or sleep quality and the risk of diabetes. Results Of 6509 participants (26.1% of women, 19–69 years of age), a total of 230 type 2 diabetes cases were reported over a median 4.2 years of follow-up. For participants who often experienced difficulty in initiating sleep, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios for diabetes were 1.42 (95%CI, 1.05–1.91) in participants with a medium frequency of difficulty initiating sleep, and 1.61 (95%CI, 1.00–2.58) for those with a high frequency, with a statistically significant linear trend. Significant association was not observed in the association between difficulty of maintaining sleep or duration of sleep, and risk of diabetes. Conclusion Medium and high frequencies of difficulty initiating sleep, but not difficulty in maintaining sleep or in sleep duration, are associated with higher risks of diabetes in relatively healthy Asian workers, even after adjusting for a large number of possible further factors.

Background: Maternal smoking during pregnancy has been consistently related to low birthweight. However, older mothers, who are already at risk of giving birth to low birthweight infants, might be even more susceptible to the effects of maternal smoking. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the modified association between maternal smoking and low birthweight by maternal age. Methods: Data were obtained from a questionnaire survey of all mothers of children born between 2004 and 2010 in Okinawa, Japan who underwent medical check-ups at age 3 months. Variables assessed were maternal smoking during pregnancy, maternal age, gestational age, parity, birth year, and complications during pregnancy. Stratified analyses were performed using a logistic regression model. Results: In total, 92641 participants provided complete information on all variables. Over the 7 years studied, the proportion of mothers smoking during pregnancy decreased from 10.6% to 5.0%, while the prevalence of low birthweight did not change remarkably (around 10%). Maternal smoking was significantly associated with low birthweight in all age groups. The strength of the association increased with maternal age, both in crude and adjusted models. Conclusions: Consistent with previous studies conducted in Western countries, this study demonstrates that maternal age has a modifying effect on the association between maternal smoking and birthweight. This finding suggests that specific education and health care programs for older smoking mothers are important to improve their foetal growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Metabolomics is a promising approach to the identification of biomarkers in plasma. Here, we performed a population-based, cross-sectional study to identify potential biomarkers of alcohol intake and alcohol-induced liver injury by metabolomic profiling using capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS). Methods: Fasting plasma samples were collected from 896 Japanese men who participated in the baseline survey of the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study, and 115 polar metabolites were identified and absolutely quantified by CE-MS. Information on daily ethanol intake was collected through a standardized, self-administered questionnaire. The associations between ethanol intake and plasma concentration of metabolites were examined. Relationships between metabolite concentrations or their ratios and serum liver enzyme levels in the highest ethanol intake group (>46.0 g/day) were then examined by linear regression analysis. Replication analysis was conducted in 193 samples collected from independent population of this cohort. Results: Nineteen metabolites were identified to have an association with daily alcohol consumption both in the original and replication population. Three of these metabolites (threonine, glutamine, and guanidinosuccinate) were found to associate well with elevated levels of serum liver enzymes in the highest ethanol intake group, but not in the non-drinker group. We also found that the glutamate/glutamine ratio had a much stronger relation to serum γ-glutamyltransferase, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase than glutamate or glutamine alone (standardized beta = 0.678, 0.558, 0.498, respectively). Conclusions: We found 19 metabolites associated with alcohol intake, and three biomarker candidates (threonine, guanidinosuccinate and glutamine) of alcohol-induced liver injury. Glutamate/glutamine ratio might also be good biomarker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although many studies have discussed health risks in neonates with a low birth weight, few studies have focused on the risks in neonates with a high birth weight. The objective of this study was to determine whether differences in the incidence of dental caries in early childhood are associated with birth weight status. Methods: A total of 117,175 children born in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan from 1997 to 2007 were included in this study. Medical professionals collected information about birth records, growth and development, parental child-rearing practices and dental health at 3 months, 18 months and 3 years of age. The risk of dental caries among neonates with macrosomia (birth weight ≥4000 g) was compared with that among neonates with normal weight (2500–3999 g). Sensitivity analyses included ‘large for gestational age’ (LGA, birth weight above the 90th percentile for gestational age), which was relative to ‘appropriate for gestational age’ (birth weight between 10th and 90th percentiles). Relative risks and relative risk increases were estimated by multivariate Poisson regression. Results: At 3 years of age, the relative risk increases for dental caries after adjusting for confounding factors were 19% [95% confidence interval (CI), 11%–28%, P < 0.001] for macrosomic neonates and 12% (95% CI, 9%–16%, P < 0.001) for LGA neonates. Conclusion: Macrosomia and LGA were associated with an increased risk of dental caries in early childhood. Particular attention should be paid to abnormally large neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set $${\fancyscript{K}}$$ in $$\hbox {PG}(r,4), r \ge 2$$ , is odd if every line meets $${\fancyscript{K}}$$ in an odd number of points. We show there are exactly 45 inequivalent odd sets in $$\hbox {PG}(4,4)$$ up to projective equivalence. As an application to coding theory, a new sufficient condition for the extendability of quaternary linear codes is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effect of sleep on the risk of developing diabetes has not been explored in an Asian population. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of self-reported sleep duration and sleep quality on the risk of developing diabetes in a prospective cohort in Japan. Methods: Data were analyzed from the cohort of participants in a High-risk and Population Strategy for Occupational Health Promotion Study (HIPOP-OHP), conducted in Japan from the year 1999 until 2004. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate the association between sleep duration or sleep quality and the risk of diabetes. Results: Of 6509 participants (26.1% of women, 19-69 years of age), a total of 230 type 2 diabetes cases were reported over a median 4.2 years of follow-up. For participants who often experienced difficulty in initiating sleep, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios for diabetes were 1.42 (95%CI, 1.05-1.91) in participants with a medium frequency of difficulty initiating sleep, and 1.61 (95%CI, 1.00-2.58) for those with a high frequency, with a statistically significant linear trend. Significant association was not observed in the association between difficulty of maintaining sleep or duration of sleep, and risk of diabetes. Conclusion: Medium and high frequencies of difficulty initiating sleep, but not difficulty in maintaining sleep or in sleep duration, are associated with higher risks of diabetes in relatively healthy Asian workers, even after adjusting for a large number of possible further factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We examined the effects on employee vegetable intake of a long-term intervention in an employee work cafeteria., Methods: The subjects were approximately 1,200 employees (aged 19-61 years) of an industrial company in Fukui prefecture. We promoted the intake of typical Japanese style meals that combined three elements (staple foods, main dishes and vegetable dishes) to increase vegetables intake. We displayed all items on the menus of the employee cafeteria using three colors (yellow, red and green to denote three elements) to indicate healthy food choices for the maintenance of a healthy food environment. We advised employees to choose meals containing the three elements at the time of payment, for nutritional education (appropriate portion choice: APC). We evaluated the ratio of APC at the same time. To calculate the mean daily intake per person, we carried out a questionnaire survey similar to the "semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire" and asked about the frequency and approximate intake of vegetables., Results: The APC was 63.5% after one year of intervention, significantly increased to 82.1% after two years (p < 0.001), and was 80.0% after three years of intervention (p < 0.001). Vegetable intake at breakfast (p < 0.001), lunch (p < 0.001) and dinner (p = 0.011), and from vegetable juice (p = 0.030) significantly increased after three years of intervention. The consumption of pickles significantly decreased after three years of intervention (p = 0.009). It was estimated that the vegetable intake of men increased from 167.3 to 184.6 g, and that of women from 157.9 to 187.7 g., Conclusions: Employee estimated vegetable intake was significantly increased and that of pickles was significantly decreased by a long-term intervention (three years) in the employee work cafeteria.

Aim: To examine the relationship between the type of work and the number of metabolic syndrome diagnostic components(MetS-DC), as well as the risk of MetS, with adjustment for lifestyle habits in Japanese workers., Methods: We examined the baseline data from 4,427 participants(81.4% male) aged 19 to 69 years old. The physical activity of each participant was classified according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire(IPAQ). We defined the four MetS-DC in this study as follows: 1) high blood pressure(BP): systolic BP ≥130 mmHg, or diastolic BP ≥85 mmHg, or the use of antihypertensive drugs; 2) dyslipidemia: high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration ＜40 mg/dl or triglyceride concentration ≥150 mg/dl, or on medication for dyslipidemia; 3) dysglycemia: fasting blood sugar level ≥110 mg/dl, or if less than eight hours after meals ≥140mg/dl, or on medication for diabetes mellitus; 4) overweight: a body mass index ≥25kg/m(2). We defined MetS as overweight plus two or more of the MetS-DC., Results: There were 3,094 subjects in the daytime work group, 73 in the fixed nighttime work group, 1,017 in the shift work group and 243 in the day-to-night work group. The Poisson regression analysis revealed that fixed nighttime (regression coefficient [b]=-0.233, P=0.028) and shift work (b=0.098, P=0.034) independently contributed to the number of MetS-DC, compared to daytime work. The multivariate logistic analysis not including sleep hours in the model showed that shift work was positively related to MetS (odd ratio=1.47, P＜0.01)., Conclusion: Shift work were significantly associated with the number of MetS-DC, and was related to risk of MetS compared to daytime work.