Metabolic syndrome and the risk of severe cancer events: a longitudinal study in Japanese workers.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with cancer risk; however, little is known regarding its relationship with the risk of cancer-related premature death and long-term sick leave (LTSL), which can lead to a substantial loss in working years. The present study aimed to quantify the all-site and site-specific associations between MetS and the risk of severe cancer events (a composite outcome of LTSL and mortality due to cancer) in a large working population in Japan. METHODS: We recruited 70,875 workers (59,950 men and 10,925 women), aged 20-59 years, who attended health check-ups in 2011 (10 companies) and 2014 (2 companies). All workers underwent follow up for severe cancer events until March 31, 2020. MetS was defined in accordance with the Joint Interim Statement. Cox regression models were used to quantify the association between baseline MetS and severe cancer events. RESULTS: During 427,379 person-years of follow-up, 523 participants experienced the outcome consisting of 493 LTSLs of which 124 eventually resulted in death, and 30 deaths without taking LTSL. The adjusted hazard ratios (HR) (95% confidence intervals [CI]) for composite severe events due to all-site, obesity-related, and non-obesity-related cancer among those with vs. without MetS were 1.26 (1.03, 1.55), 1.37 (1.04, 1.82), and 1.15 (0.84, 1.56), respectively. In cancer site-specific analyses, MetS was associated with an increased risk of severe events due to pancreatic cancer (HR, 2.06; 95% CI, 0.99-4.26). When mortality was treated solely as the endpoint, the association was significant for all-site (HR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.10-2.26), and obesity-related (HR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.00-2.54) cancer. Additionally, a greater number of MetS components was associated with a greater risk of both severe cancer events and cancer-related mortality (P trend < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Among Japanese workers, MetS was associated with an increased risk of severe cancer events, especially those due to obesity-linked cancer.

Exposure to dust and respiratory health among Australian miners.

PURPOSE: Occupational exposure to dust has been recognised as a significant health hazard to mine workers. This study aimed to investigate the association between exposure to inhalable (INH) and respirable (RES) dust and respiratory health among mine workers in Western Australia using an industry-wide exposure database. METHODS: The database comprised cross-sectional surveys conducted by mining companies for the period 2001-2012. The study population consisted of 12,797 workers who were monitored for exposure to INH and RES dust and undertook health assessments including a respiratory questionnaire and spirometry test. RESULTS: Despite the general trend of declining exposure to both INH and RES dust observed over the 12 years period, mine workers reported a higher prevalence of phlegm and cough when exposed to elevated concentrations of INH and RES dust. Logistic regression analysis further confirmed the positive association between INH dust exposure and the prevalence of phlegm with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.033 (95% CI 1.012-1.052). Overall, 6.3% of miners might have potential airway obstruction, and exposure to INH dust was associated with impaired lung function parameters. CONCLUSION: Exposure levels of INH and RES dust particles among mine workers have reduced considerably and were well below currently legislated occupational exposure limits. However, given the reported higher prevalence of phlegm and cough among those with elevated dust concentrations, there is a continued need for effective dust exposure monitoring and control in the mineral mining industry.

Eating speed and abdominal adiposity in middle-aged adults: a cross-sectional study in Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have associated fast eating speed with the risk of general obesity, but there are inadequate data on the association between eating speed and abdominal adiposity which may pose a higher threat to health than general obesity. The present study aimed to investigate the association between eating speed and abdominal obesity in a Vietnamese population. METHODS: Between June 2019 and June 2020, the baseline survey of an ongoing prospective cohort study on the determinants of cardiovascular disease in Vietnamese adults was conducted. A total of 3,000 people aged 40-60 years old (1,160 men and 1,840 women) were recruited from eight communes in the rural district of Cam Lam, Khanh Hoa province, in Central Vietnam. Self-reported eating speed was assessed on a 5-point Likert scale, and responses were collapsed into the following three categories: slow, normal, and fast. Abdominal obesity was defined as a waist-to-height ratio of ≥ 0.5. Poisson regression with a robust variance estimator was used to assess the association between eating speed and abdominal obesity. RESULTS: Compared with slow eating speed, the adjusted prevalence ratio (95% confidence interval) for abdominal obesity was 1.14 (1.05, 1.25)1.14 (1.05, 1.25) for normal eating speed and 1.30 (1.19, 1.41) for fast eating speed (P for trend < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A faster eating speed was associated with a higher prevalence of abdominal obesity in a middle-aged population in rural Vietnam.

Different associations of occupational and leisure-time physical activity with the prevalence of hypertension among middle-aged community dwellers in rural Khánh Hòa, Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: In contrast to high-income countries where physical activity (PA), particularly leisure-time PA, has been shown to be protective against hypertension, few studies have been conducted in low- and middle-income countries. We examined the cross-sectional association between PA and hypertension prevalence among rural residents in Vietnam. METHODS: We used data collected in the baseline survey of a prospective cohort study, among 3000 people aged 40-60 years old residing in rural Khánh Hòa, Vietnam. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg, or the use of antihypertensive medication. We assessed occupational PA and leisure-time PA using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. A robust Poisson regression model was used to investigate the associations, with adjustment for covariates. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension was 39.6%. After adjusting for socio-demographic and lifestyle-related variables, leisure-time PA was positively associated with hypertension prevalence (prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.03 per 10 MET-hour/week, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.06). Occupational PA was inversely associated with hypertension prevalence (PR: 0.98 per 50 MET-hour/week, 95% CI = 0.96-0.996). After adjusting for BMI and other health-related variables, the association related to occupational PA became statistically non-significant, while the association related to leisure-time PA remained statistically significant. CONCLUSION: In contrast to previous studies in high-income countries, we found that leisure-time PA was positively associated with hypertension prevalence and occupational PA was associated with a lower hypertension prevalence. This suggests that the association between PA and hypertension might differ depending on the context.

Vitamin D status in healthy populations worldwide: a systematic review protocol.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review is to report on circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) and the prevalence of 25(OH)D concentrations below commonly used cut points for vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency in healthy populations worldwide. INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D sufficiency is important for optimal bone health and has been identified as being protective against a range of adverse health outcomes. Poor vitamin D status is considered a global public health concern. This review will provide up-to-date data on 25(OH)D concentrations in healthy populations worldwide. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review will consider data from publications that include measurements of circulating 25(OH)D concentrations in healthy people of all ages across all global geographical regions. METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Global Index Medicus will be searched for relevant studies published from March 1, 2011. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts using Research Screener, review relevant full-text articles for quality and eligibility, and extract data. Studies will, where possible, be pooled with statistical meta-analysis, while heterogeneity will be statistically tested. If relevant data are available, subgroup and sensitivity analyses will be conducted to investigate latitude, sex, age, season of blood collection, supplement use, 25(OH)D assay used (and whether it's certified to Reference Measurement Procedures developed under the Vitamin D Standardization Program), as well as study quality. REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021242466.

Metabolic syndrome and the immunogenicity of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine: a cross-sectional study in Japanese healthcare workers.

BACKGROUND: The clustering of metabolic abnormalities may weaken vaccine-induced immunity, but epidemiological data regarding SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are scarce. The present study aimed to examine the cross-sectional association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and humoral immune response to Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine among the staff of a research center for medical care in Japan. METHODS: Participants were the staff (aged 21-75 years) of the National Center of Global Health and Medicine who had completed the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine 1-3 months before the survey. MetS was defined according to the Joint Interim Statement. SARS-CoV-2 spike immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody was measured using quantitative assays. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate the geometric mean titers (GMT) and geometric mean ratio (GMR) of IgG titers, relative to MetS status. RESULTS: Of 946 participants who received the second vaccine dose, 51 (5.4%) had MetS. Those with MetS had a significantly lower IgG titer (GMT 4125; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2885-5896) than those without MetS (GMT 5348; 95% CI, 3914-7309); the GMR was 0.77 (95% CI 0.64-0.93). Taking those having no MetS component as reference, fully adjusted GMR (95% CI) for those having 1, 2, 3 or ≥ 4 components was 1.00 (0.90, 1.11), 0.89 (0.77, 1.04), 0.86 (0.68, 1.10) and 0.61 (0.45, 0.82), respectively (P trend = 0.024). CONCLUSION: Results suggest that having MetS and a greater number of its components are associated with a weaker humoral immune response to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Negative-High Titer of Helicobacter pylori Antibody and Lipid Profiles.

Background: Helicobacter pylori (HP) is a causative factor for several gastrointestinal diseases. A HP seropositive antibody titer (i.e., ≥10 U/mL), a threshold indicating an HP infection, is known to be associated with changes in lipid metabolism. There is evidence that HP infection can be found in some individuals with HP antibody titer of between 3 and 9.9 U/mL (termed as "negative-high titer"). However, it is unknown about the relationship between HP negative-high titer and lipid metabolism. The present study aimed to quantify the association between HP negative-high antibody titer and lipid profiles. Materials and Methods: We surveyed 2,478 people who underwent a Ningen Dock examination and had serological HP antibody data, from May 2016 to December 2020 at National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. Multiple regression models were used to quantify the association between HP antibody titer and serum lipid levels. Results: The adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) for dyslipidemia in HP negative-high and positive titer was 1.24 (0.96, 1.79) and 1.36 (1.10, 1.68), respectively, compared with HP negative-low titer; p trend =0.005. The adjusted mean (95% CI) of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in HP negative-low, negative-high, and positive titer was 58.78 (57.86-59.71), 55.30 (53.70-56.91), and 53.76 (52.90-54.63) mg/dL, respectively; p trend <0.001. Higher HP antibody titers were also associated with higher ratio of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) to HDL-C, but not triglycerides, or total cholesterols. Conclusion: The present cross-sectional study suggests that a HP negative-high antibody titer may be associated with dyslipidemia, HDL-C, and LDL-C to HDL-C ratio among Japanese Ningen Dock's participants.

Relationship of chronotype and social jetlag with adherence to the Japanese dietary guidelines among workers.

While late chronotype and greater social jetlag have been associated with poor dietary behavior among the general population, these associations have not been investigated among workers, who struggle to align their sleep timings with work schedules. We aimed to explore the cross-sectional association of social jetlag and a late chronotype with adherence to a healthy diet among Japanese workers. Participants were 1,435 non-shift workers (18-78 years) who attended a nutritional survey. Social jetlag was defined as the difference in the midpoint of sleep times between weekdays and weekends, while chronotype was estimated using the mid-sleep time on weekends that was corrected with sleep debt on weekdays. We calculated the adherence score of the Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top (JFGST) - healthy diet guidelines for Japanese. Multivariable linear regression analyses were used to calculate the adjusted means and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for adherence scores of social jetlag and chronotype. We found that greater social jetlag was associated with a lower JFGST score. The multivariable-adjusted mean (95% CI) of JFGST scores were 39.7 (39.1-40.2), 38.7 (37.9-39.6), and 38.1 (36.6-39.7) for <1 hour, 1 to <2 hours, and ≥2 hours of social jetlag, respectively (P-trend = 0.02). Workers with late chronotypes had significantly lower adherence scores on JFGST [36.3 (34.7-37.8); P-trend = 0.002]. Results suggest that a late chronotype and social jetlag are inversely associated with adherence to a healthy diet among Japanese workers.

Prostate Cancer Risk Reduced by Physical Activity Even Among Men With Prolonged Sitting Time: A Study From Vietnam.

Increasing prostate cancer incidence in the Asia-Pacific region may be related to a more sedentary lifestyle resulted from economic growth and rapid urbanization. The present case-control study of 640 men aged 64 to 75 years was conducted in Vietnam between 2013 and 2015 to ascertain the relationship between physical activity and prostate cancer risk, accounting for the duration of sitting time. Reduced prostate cancer risks were found for men engaging in medium (15.8-47.3 metabolic equivalent task [MET]-h/week) and high (>47.3 MET-h/week) physical activity levels, with the adjusted odds ratios being 0.52 (95% confidence interval = 0.35-0.77) and 0.27 (95% confidence interval = 0.14-0.49), respectively. This association was independent of sitting time. Analyses of joint association of physical activity and sitting time also found a reduction in the cancer risk for higher energy expenditure levels. Similar results were evident for both low-medium and high grade tumors. The findings are important for developing health strategies to prevent prostate cancer in Asian countries.

Dietary Carotenoid Intakes and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Case-Control Study from Vietnam.

The incidence of prostate cancer has increased in Vietnam, but there have been few studies of the risk factors associated with this change. This retrospective case-control study investigated the relation of the intake of carotenoids and their food sources to prostate cancer risk. A sample of 652 participants (244 incident prostate cancer patients, aged 64-75 years, and 408 age frequency-matched controls) were recruited in Ho Chi Minh City during 2013-2015. The habitual diet was ascertained with a validated food-frequency questionnaire, and other factors including demographic and lifestyle characteristics were assessed via face-to-face interviews by trained nurses. Multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression models. The risk of prostate cancer decreased with increasing intakes of lycopene, tomatoes, and carrots; the respective ORs (95% CIs) were 0.46 (0.27, 0.77), 0.39 (0.23, 0.66), and 0.35 (0.21, 0.58), when comparing the highest with the lowest tertile of intake (p for trend < 0.01). No statistically significant associations were found for the intake of α-carotene, ß-carotene, ß-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and major food sources of carotenoids. In conclusion, Vietnamese men with a higher intake of lycopene, tomatoes, and carrots may have a lower risk of prostate cancer. However, large prospective studies are needed in this population to confirm this finding.