Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy increase the incidence of febrile seizures in offspring.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine exposure to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) may increase the risk of neuropsychiatric disorders. This investigation examined for associations between maternal HDP and febrile seizures (FS) in offspring by the age of three years. METHODS: The present cohort study analyzed data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, a large national birth cohort. We included mother-child pairs recruited between January 2011 and March 2014. Information regarding maternal HDP, the presence of FS in offspring up to 3 years of age, and potential confounding factors were assessed using written questionnaires administered to mothers. RESULTS: A total of 77,699 mother-child dyads were analyzed. The prevalence of FS was 8.4% in children without HDP exposure, 10.6% in those exposed to mild HDP, and 10.4% in those with severe HDP exposure. Among children with full-term birth, logistic regression analysis indicated that exposure to mild or severe HDP was significantly associated with a higher incidence of FS (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.27 [1.05-1.53] and 1.27 [0.90-1.78], respectively, P for trend = 0.008), compared with children without HDP exposure. CONCLUSION: In children with full-term birth, intrauterine exposure to HDP was significantly associated with FS by the age of three years. IMPACT: This study revealed a significant association between intrauterine exposure to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and the subsequent development of febrile seizures (FS) in offspring by three years. This increased incidence of FS by HDP was independent of preterm birth status. This is the first large nationwide birth cohort study showing the impact of intrauterine exposure to HDP on FS in early childhood.

Impact of dog and/or cat ownership on functional constipation at 3 years of age: the Japan Environment and Children's study.

PURPOSE: This investigation assessed the impact of dog and/or cat ownership during infancy on the presence of functional constipation (FC) at 3 years of age. METHODS: The fixed data of 73,936 singleton births from a large national birth cohort study commencing in 2011 were used to identify FC as estimated by Rome III at 3 years of age. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to search for correlations between FC development and dog and/or cat ownership in early childhood. RESULTS: A total of 8,459 toddlers (11.6%) met the Rome III criteria for FC at 3 years of age. Overall, 57,264 (77.5%) participants had never owned a dog or cat. We identified 7,715 (10.4%) infant-period owners, 1,295 (1.8%) current owners, and 7,762 (10.5%) long-term owners. Multivariate analysis showed that infant-period ownership remained significantly associated with the risk of developing FC at 3 years of age after adjusting for covariates (adjusted OR [95% CI] 1.09 [1.01-1.19] based on non-ownership). CONCLUSIONS: This Japanese large nationwide survey uncovered a possible adverse effect of infant-period dog and/or cat ownership prior to 6 months of age on FC status at 3 years of age.

Associations between long-term care-service use and service- or care-need level progression: a nationwide cohort study using the Japanese Long-Term Care Insurance Claims database.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of the long-term care service in Japan has been unclear, and most of the relevant studies of this service have been limited to a single region and relatively small samples, necessitating large-scale studies. We examined the associations between long-term care service use and the service/care-need level progression at the national scale in Japan. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study using data from the Japanese Long-Term Care Insurance Claims database. Individuals aged ≥ 65 years and newly certified as being at the support-need level 1 or 2 or the care-need level 1 between April 2012 and March 2013 were included. We first conducted 1:1 propensity score matching and then examined the associations between service use and the progression in support-need or care-need levels by using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank tests. RESULTS: The final sample consisted of 332,766 individuals. We observed that service use was associated with a faster decline in the support/care-need level, although the differences in the subjects' survival rate diminished; the log-rank test showed significance (p < 0.001). When stratified for urban-rural classifications or regions of Japan, the results were similar to the primary analysis in all of the stratified groups, and no clear regional variations were observed. CONCLUSION: We did not observe a clear beneficial effect of receiving long-term care in Japan. Our results suggest that Japan's current long-term care service may not be effective for the recipients of these services. Considering that the system is becoming a financial burden, a re-examination of the service to provide more cost-effective care may be advisable.

Short-term associations of low-level fine particulate matter (PM2.5) with cardiorespiratory hospitalizations in 139 Japanese cities.

There have been few studies in non-western countries on the relationship between low levels of daily fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and morbidity or mortality, and the impact of PM2.5 concentrations below 15 µg/m3, which is the latest World Health Organization Air Quality Guideline (WHO AQG) value for the 24-h mean, is not yet clear. We assessed the associations between low-level PM2.5 exposure and cardiorespiratory admissions in Japan. We collected the daily hospital admission count data, air pollutant data, and meteorological condition data recorded from April 2016 to March 2019 in 139 Japanese cities. City-specific estimates were obtained from conditional logistic regression models in a time-stratified case-crossover design and pooled by random-effect models. We estimated that every 10-µg/m3 increase in the concurrent-day PM2.5 concentration was related to a 0.52% increase in cardiovascular admissions (95% CI: 0.13-0.92%) and a 1.74% increase in respiratory admissions (95% CI: 1.41-2.07%). These values were nearly the same when the datasets were filtered to contain only daily PM2.5 concentrations <15 µg/m3. The exposure-response curves showed approximately sublinear-to-linear curves with no indication of thresholds. These associations with cardiovascular diseases weakened after adjusting for nitrogen dioxide or sulfur dioxide, but associations with respiratory diseases were almost unchanged when additionally adjusted for other pollutants. This study demonstrated that associations between daily PM2.5 and daily cardiorespiratory hospitalizations might persist at low concentrations, including those below the latest WHO AQG value. Our findings suggest that the updated guideline value may still be insufficient from the perspective of public health.

Insufficient maternal gestational weight gain and infant neurodevelopment at 12 months of age: the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

Abnormal maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) increases the risk of obstetric-related complications. This investigation examined the impact of GWG on infant neurodevelopmental abnormalities at 12 months of age using the data of a nationwide Japanese cohort study. Questionnaire data were obtained from the ongoing Japan Environment and Children's Study cohort study. Maternal GWG was subdivided as below, within, or above the reference values of the Institution of Medicine pregnancy weight guidelines. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire, third edition (ASQ-3) is a parent-reported developmental screening instrument for children across five domains: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to identify correlations between GWG and developmental delay defined as ASQ-3 scores of less than two standard deviations below the mean. A total of 30,694 mothers with singleton live births and partners who completed the questionnaire were analyzed. The prevalence of mothers below, within, and above the GWG guidelines was 60.4% (18,527), 32.1% (9850), and 7.5% (2317), respectively. We recorded 10,943 infants (35.7%) who were outliers in at least one ASQ-3 domain. After controlling for covariates, GWG below established guidelines was associated with a significantly higher risk of developmental delay for the communication (odds ratio [OR] 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-1.34), gross motor (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.05-1.24), fine motor (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.04-1.24), problem-solving (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.18), and personal-social (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.07-1.24) domains.Conclusion: This large survey revealed a possible deleterious effect of insufficient maternal GWG on infant neurodevelopment.Trial registration: The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS) was registered in the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry on January 15, 2018 (number UMIN000030786). What is Known: • Inappropriate maternal gestational weight gain may cause obstetric complications and adverse birth outcomes. • Excess maternal weight gain may result in gestational diabetes, hypertension, eclampsia, caesarean delivery, and macrosomia, while insufficient maternal weight gain has been associated with pre-term birth and small for gestational age. What is New: • This study provides important information on a possible adverse effect of insufficient maternal gestational weight gain on offspring neurodevelopment at 12 months of age. • Our findings indicate a need to reconsider the optimal body mass index and gestational weight gain for women desiring pregnancy.

Maternal alcohol consumption and risk of offspring with congenital malformation: the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

BACKGROUND: The association between fetal exposure to alcohol and congenital structural disorders remains inconclusive. The present study searched for relationships between maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the risk of congenital malformations. METHODS: We evaluated the fixed dataset of a large national birth cohort study including 73,595 mothers with a singleton live birth. Information regarding the alcohol consumption of mothers was obtained from self-reported questionnaires. Physicians assessed for 6 major congenital malformations (congenital heart defects [CHDs], male genital abnormalities, limb defects, cleft lip and/or cleft palate [orofacial clefts (OFC)], severe brain abnormalities, and gastrointestinal obstructions) up to 1 month after birth. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify associations between maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and each malformation. RESULTS: The prevalence of maternal drinking in early pregnancy and until the second/third trimester was 46.6% and 2.8%, respectively. The onset of CHD was inversely associated with mothers who quit drinking during early pregnancy (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.74-0.98). There was no remarkable impact of maternal drinking habit status on the other congenital malformations after adjustment for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy, even in early pregnancy, displayed no significant adverse impact on congenital malformations of interest. IMPACT: This large-scale Japanese cohort study revealed that no teratogenic associations were found between maternal retrospective reports of periconceptional alcohol consumption and congenital malformations after adjustment for covariates. This is the first nationwide birth cohort study in Japan to assess the effect of maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy on major congenital malformations. Our finding indicated that maternal low-to-moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy, even in early pregnancy, displayed no significant adverse impact on congenital heart defects, male genital abnormalities, limb defects, orofacial clefts, severe brain abnormalities, or gastrointestinal obstructions.

Association between pesticide usage during pregnancy and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia requiring treatment: the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal exposure to pesticides during pregnancy may cause oxidative hemolysis leading to neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. This investigation examined for associations between maternal use of pesticides or repellents during pregnancy and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy. METHODS: We used the dataset from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, a large national birth cohort study registered from January 31, 2011 to March 31, 2014. The fixed data of 61,751 live births were used to evaluate the presence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and potential confounding factors. We employed multiple logistic regression analysis to identify correlations between the frequency of maternal pesticide or repellent use during pregnancy and clinically relevant neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. RESULTS: After controlling for confounding factors, there were significant associations between neonatal hyperbilirubinemia necessitating phototherapy and the frequent use of indoor insecticide spray (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.05-1.38). For spray- or lotion-type insect repellents, an opposite relationship was observed (more than a few times a week: OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.61-0.81, up to a few times a month: OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.78-0.91). CONCLUSION: The frequent use of indoor insecticide spray during pregnancy showed an increased risk of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy, which was absent for spray- or lotion-type insect repellents. IMPACT: The frequent use of indoor insecticide spray during pregnancy showed an increased risk of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy, which was absent for spray- or lotion-type insect repellents. This is the first study examining the effects of maternal exposure to pesticides or repellents on clinically relevant neonatal hyperbilirubinemia using a dataset from a nationwide birth cohort study. This large-scale Japanese cohort study revealed that the frequent use of indoor insecticide spray during pregnancy may increase the risk of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia requiring treatment.

Criminal mercury vapor poisoning using heated tobacco product.

We report an unusual case of mercury vapor poisoning from using a heated tobacco product. The suspect had added grains of mercury into 20 cigarettes in a pack. When a 36-year-old Japanese man inserted one of these cigarettes into the battery powered holder, it was heated to a temperature of 350 °C, and he inhaled vaporized mercury. After using 14 of the cigarettes over 16 h, he noticed he had flu-like symptoms so he visited the hospital. Although no physical abnormalities were revealed, 99 µg/L of mercury was detected in his serum sample. His general condition improved gradually and his whole blood mercury level had decreased to 38 µg/L 5 days later. When the remaining six cigarettes in the pack were examined, many metallic grains weighing a total of 1.57 g were observed. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry confirmed the grains as elemental mercury. Accordingly, the victim was diagnosed with mercury poisoning. Because the mercury was incorporated into cigarettes, an unusual and novel intoxication occurred through the heating of the tobacco product. Both medical and forensic scientific examination confirmed this event as attempted murder.

Relationships between suicidal ideation and psychosocial factors among residents living in Nagano Prefecture of Japan.

OBJECTIVES: Feeling ashamed for seeking help when distressed is known to be a critical factor promoting suicidal behaviors. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between suicidal ideation and psychosocial factors, including worries or anxieties, having a person to confide in, feeling ashamed for seeking help when distressed, and K6 score. METHODS: Fourteen out of 77 municipalities from Nagano Prefecture participated in this questionnaire survey. Participants of both sexes over 20 years of age were randomly selected according to age distribution in each municipality. Association between suicidal ideation and sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, including "feeling ashamed for seeking help", were determined by multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among a total of 11,100 participants, 7394 (66.6%) returned the questionnaire. 2147 participants responded properly to essential study parameters and were submitted to the final analyses. The adjusted odds ratio of suicidal ideation was 2.09 (95% CI 1.49-2.94) among participants feeling ashamed for seeking help, compared to those not feeling ashamed. Although the rate of "no person to confide in" was 4.4%, participants who responded with "no person to confide in" had significantly increased odds ratio of suicidal ideation compared with those who responded with "having a person to confide in" (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.12-3.47). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a need for tailored intervention targeting individuals at risk by gatekeepers to encourage individuals at risk to overcome feeling ashamed for seeking help and to cultivate an appropriate person to confide in.

Cross-sectional observation of the relationship of depressive symptoms with lifestyles and parents' status among Japanese junior high school students.

OBJECTIVES: Students' depressive symptoms might be related to their own risk factors and to their parents' status. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship of depressive symptoms with lifestyle variables and parents' psychological and socio-demographic status among Japanese junior high school students. METHODS: Of 477 students and their parents, 409 (85.7 %) students and 314 (65.8 %) parents participated in the study. Students answered self-reported questionnaire on depressive symptoms, their heights and weights, subjective stress, body dissatisfaction, lifestyles including sleep duration and extracurricular physical activity in school and other physical activity outside the school, and nutritional intake. Parents responded to questionnaire on depressive symptoms and socio-demographic status. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 24.9 %. Students with depressive symptoms were more likely to have stress. Students in shorter and longer sleep duration groups were more likely to have depressive symptoms. The students with depressive symptoms had smaller amount of energy intake than did those without depressive symptoms. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed significant relationships between students' depressive symptoms and some independent variables. Sex, subjective stress, "almost-never"-categorized extracurricular physical activity in school and other physical activity outside the school, and having a parent with depressive symptoms were significantly associated with students' depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Reducing mental stress and taking care of lifestyles, especially, "almost-everyday"-categorized extracurricular physical activity in school and other physical activity outside the school, may have benefits for students' mental health, and having a parent with depressive symptoms may be associated with students' depressive symptoms.

Association between relatively low blood lead levels and urinary δ-aminolevulinic acid concentrations among male workers at a Japanese battery factory.

OBJECTIVES: Whether the known positive association between blood lead (PbB) levels and urinary δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALAU) also exists at relatively low PbB levels (<40 µg/dL) remains unclear. We aimed to investigate this association at lower PbB levels. METHODS: We analyzed data from biannual medical examinations of workers at a Japanese factory from August 2013 to August 2023. We excluded records from female workers and those with missing data, resulting in a dataset consisting of 1396 records from 155 male workers. We employed mixed-effect linear regression models with a random intercept for workers and additional adjustments for age and smoking status. RESULTS: The median PbB level across all the analyzed records was 8 µg/dL (range: 1, 31 µg/dL). Significant positive associations were observed between PbB and ALAU, with a one-unit increase in natural logarithm-transformed PbB corresponding to a 10.0% increase in ALAU (95% CI: 2.7, 17.9%). Categorized PbB analyses showed a 23.8% increase in ALAU (95% CI: 2.7, 49.2%) for PbB levels at 20-24 µg/dL and an 83.1% increase (95% CI: 30.1, 157.7%) for PbB levels ≥25 µg/dL, compared to those <5 µg/dL. The exposure-response curve analysis indicated a plateau followed by an increasing trend. CONCLUSIONS: A positive and non-linear association between PbB and ALAU levels was observed at relatively low PbB levels.

The Current Status of Postpartum Menstrual Resumption Delay and Associated Risk Factors in Japanese Women: An Adjunct Study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

Background: Prolonged postpartum amenorrhea is a sign of secondary infertility. However, there are no reports on postpartum menstrual resumption delay in Japanese women. We conducted an Adjunct Study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS) to elucidate the actual state of postpartum menstrual resumption delay in Japan and related factors. Methods: An Adjunct Study questionnaire was sent to 2,729 mothers who participated in the study of Shinshu Subunit Center in the JECS, and 762 mothers were included in the analysis. The participants were categorized into the normal and delayed groups based on the weeks of postpartum menstrual resumption. To investigate the factors associated with postpartum menstrual resumption delay, a multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted with the weeks of postpartum menstrual resumption as the dependent variable. Results: The study included 762 women, of which 61 (8.0%) had delayed menstruation, not occurring until 72 weeks postpartum. The multivariate analysis revealed a significant correlation between postpartum menstrual resumption delay and age at delivery, past history of irregular menstruation, history of taking oral contraceptives, breastfeeding at 18 months, and the level of satisfaction with the husband's participation in childcare. Conclusion: Postpartum menstruation in Japanese women occurred later than before. In addition to previous findings, another factor was the husband's satisfaction with his participation in childcare. We should not only focus on the physical aspects of mothers, but also provide midwifery care that proposes and supports family planning suitable for each family.

Prenatal mercury exposure and the secondary sex ratio: The Japan Environment and Children's Study.

Prior research into the association between prenatal mercury (Hg) exposure and the secondary sex ratio has yielded inconclusive and conflicting results. Notably, no study has used cord blood Hg measurement in this context. Also, the differences in Hg species and the potential modifying role of selenium (Se) on this association remain unexplored. Using data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, we analyzed mother-child pairs with available data for concentrations of total mercury (THg) and Se in maternal blood during late pregnancy, and THg, inorganic mercury (IHg), methylmercury (MeHg), and Se in cord blood. Logistic regression models were employed to examine the association between Hg and Se biomarkers and the secondary sex ratio. Out of the total sample of 3698 children, 1877 (50.8 %) were male, corresponding to an overall secondary sex ratio of 1.03. After adjusting for maternal age and parity, no significant associations were observed between THg concentrations of maternal blood and the secondary sex ratio. Nevertheless, we identified that two-fold increases in THg, IHg, and MeHg concentrations in cord blood were positively associated with increased odds of having a male child, yielding adjusted odds ratios of 1.13 (95 %CI: 1.04, 1.22), 1.12 (1.03, 1.21), and 1.12 (1.03, 1.22), respectively. When stratified by the median Se concentrations, no apparent differences were detected in the associations between Hg concentrations and the secondary sex ratio. In summary, elevated Hg concentrations in cord blood, but not maternal blood, were associated with an increased probability of male births.

Maternal Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Offspring Chromosomal Abnormalities: The Japan Environment and Children's Study.

BACKGROUND: Although recent in vitro experimental results have raised the question of whether maternal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may be a potential environmental risk factor for chromosomal abnormalities, epidemiological studies investigating these associations are lacking. OBJECTIVES: This study examined whether prenatal PFAS exposure is associated with a higher prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities among offspring. METHODS: We used data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, a nationwide birth cohort study, and employed logistic regression models to examine the associations between maternal plasma PFAS concentrations in the first trimester and the diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities in all births (artificial abortions, miscarriages, stillbirths, and live births) up to 2 years of age. In addition, we examined associations with mixtures of PFAS using multipollutant models. RESULTS: The final sample consisted of 24,724 births with singleton pregnancies, of which 44 confirmed cases of chromosomal abnormalities were identified (prevalence: 17.8/10,000 births). When examined individually, exposure to perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) showed positive associations with any chromosomal abnormalities with age-adjusted odds ratios of 1.81 (95% CI: 1.26, 2.61) and 2.08 (95% CI: 1.41, 3.07) per doubling in concentration, respectively. These associations remained significant after Bonferroni correction, although they did not reach the adjusted significance threshold in certain sensitivity analyses. Furthermore, the doubling in all PFAS included as a mixture was associated with chromosomal abnormalities, indicating an age-adjusted odds ratio of 2.25 (95% CI: 1.34, 3.80), with PFOS as the predominant contributor, followed by PFNA, perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). DISCUSSION: The study findings suggested a potential association between maternal exposure to PFAS, particularly PFOS, and chromosomal abnormalities in offspring. However, the results should be interpreted cautiously, because selection bias arising from the recruitment of women in early pregnancy may explain the associations. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13617.

Accuracy of ECG-based screening for sleep-disordered breathing: a survey of all male workers in a transport company.

PURPOSE: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and for sleepiness-related accidents, but >75 % of the patients remain undiagnosed. We sought to determine the diagnostic accuracy of ECG-based detection of SDB when used for population-based screening. METHODS: All male workers, mostly truck drivers, of a transport company (n = 165; age, 43 ± 12 years) underwent standard attended overnight polysomnography. Cyclic variation of heart rate (CVHR), a characteristic pattern of heart rate associated with SDB, was detected from single-lead ECG signals during the polysomnography by a newly developed automated algorithm of autocorrelated wave detection with adaptive threshold (ACAT). RESULTS: Among 165 subjects, the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was ≥5 in 62 (38 %), ≥15 in 26 (16 %), and ≥30 in 16 (10 %). The number of CVHR per hour (CVHR index) closely correlated with AHI [r = 0.868 (95 % CI, 0.825-0.901)]. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for detecting subjects with AHI ≥5, ≥15, and ≥30 were 0.796 (95 % CI, 0.727-0.855), 0.974 (0.937-0.993), and 0.997 (0.971-0.999), respectively. With a predetermined criterion of CVHR index ≥15, subjects with AHI ≥15 were identified with 88 % sensitivity and 97 % specificity (likelihood ratios for positive and negative test, 30.7 and 0.12). The classification performance was retained in subgroups of subjects with obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and decreased autonomic function. CONCLUSIONS: The CVHR obtained by the ACAT algorithm may provide a useful marker for screening for moderate-to-severe SDB among apparently healthy male workers.

Beta-3-adrenergic receptor Trp64Arg polymorphism: does it modulate the relationship between exercise and percentage of body fat in young adult Japanese males?

OBJECTIVES: The Trp64Arg polymorphism of the beta-3-adrenergic receptor gene has been studied as a potential genetic factor contributing to the development of obesity. Several studies have investigated whether or not this polymorphism affects weight reduction due to exercise, but the results of these studies have not been consistent. Moreover, information on a population characterized by a wide ranges of physical activities is scarce. Thus, to further understand the impact of this polymorphism, we examined whether the polymorphism modulates the relationship between physical activity due to exercise (PAE) and percentage of body fat (%BF). METHODS: The study population was 70 Japanese male young adults with a high prevalence of habitual exercise. PAE was estimated by a questionnaire, and %BF was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Genotyping was done by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. RESULTS: The median PAE value of the subjects was 6.9 MET-h/day with an interquartile range of 1.5-10.3 MET-h/day. PAE correlated significantly with %BF in the entire population and within the two subpopulations, namely, carriers or non-carriers of the Arg allele. Multiple regression analysis of PAE, Trp64Arg polymorphism, and the interaction term revealed that while the PAE-derived independent variable was statistically significant, the interaction term was insignificant. When the two regression lines of subjects with and without the Arg allele were considered, the difference between the two slopes did not deviate from zero, nor did the vertical distance of the two regression lines. These findings suggest that the impact of this polymorphism is limited. CONCLUSIONS: In our study population of young adult Japanese males, the impact of the Trp64Arg polymorphism on the association between exercise and body composition was weak, if it existed at all.

Association between the number of teeth and incident pre-diabetes among middle-aged adults with periodontal disease: a retrospective cohort analysis of Japanese claims data.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between the number of teeth and the new onset of pre-diabetes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: The National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan, which holds information from both the yearly health check-up programme known as the 'Specific Health Checkup' and health insurance claims data. PARTICIPANTS: 1 098 371 normoglycaemic subjects who participated in the Specific Health Checkup programme every year from fiscal year (FY) 2015 to FY 2018 and had dental insurance claims data with a diagnosis of periodontal disease during FY 2016. OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of pre-diabetes or diabetes observed at the Specific Health Checkup during FY 2018. RESULTS: Among the participants, 1 77 908 subjects developed pre-diabetes, and 579 developed diabetes at the check-up during the subsequent follow-up year. Compared with the subjects with 26-28 teeth, those with 20-25, 15-19 or 1-14 teeth were associated with an increased likelihood of developing pre-diabetes or diabetes onset with adjusted ORs of 1.03 (95% CI: 1.02 to 1.05), 1.06 (1.03 to 1.09) and 1.07 (1.04 to 1.11), respectively. No clear modifications were observed for age, sex, body mass index or current smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Having fewer teeth was associated with a higher incidence of pre-diabetes. Due to the limitations of this study, however, causality remains undetermined.

Impact of breastfeeding during infancy on functional constipation at 3 years of age: the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of large, nationwide, birth cohort studies in Japan that examine the relationships of initial feeding habits and breastfeeding period duration with offspring functional constipation at 3 years of age. This study assessed the impact of breastfeeding during infancy on early childhood functional constipation. METHODS: The fixed data of 70,078 singleton births from the ongoing Japan Environment and Children's Study cohort study that commenced in 2011 were used to identify functional constipation as estimated by Rome III at 3 years of age. The exposure variables were breastfeeding period duration until 12 months of age (never, up to 6 months, or ≥ 7 months) as well as breastfeeding status at 1 month and 6 months of age (breastfeeding exclusively, partial breastfeeding, or infant formula feeding only). Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to search for correlations for functional constipation development with breastfeeding period duration until 12 months of age and breastfeeding status during infancy. RESULTS: We identified 8,118 toddlers (11.6%) who met the Rome III criteria at 3 years of age. After controlling for potential covariates, a breastfeeding period duration of 7 months or more was inversely related to functional constipation development (≥ 7 months: adjusted odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (CI)] 0.76 [0.65, 0.88] versus never breastfed, P for trend < 0.001). Other initial feeding methods were significantly related to an increased risk of functional constipation as compared with breastfeeding exclusively at 1 month of age (partial breastfeeding: adjusted OR [95% CI] 1.17 [1.11, 1.23], formula feeding only: 1.23 [1.07, 1.40]) and 6 months of age (partial breastfeeding: adjusted OR [95% CI] 1.18 [1.12, 1.24], formula feeding only: adjusted OR [95% CI] 1.42 [1.20, 1.68]). CONCLUSION: This large nationwide survey revealed a possible protective effect of a prolonged breastfeeding period duration and early exclusive breastfeeding in infancy on functional constipation at 3 years.

Effects of work-family life support program on the work-family interface and mental health among Japanese dual-earner couples with a preschool child: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the effectiveness of a newly developed work-family life support program on the work-family interface and mental health indicators among Japanese dual-earner couples with a preschool child(/ren) using a randomized controlled trial with a waitlist. METHODS: Participants who met the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to the intervention or the control groups (n = 79 and n = 85, respectively). The program comprised two 3-h sessions with a 1-month interval between them and provided comprehensive skills by including self-management, couple management, and parenting management components. The program sessions were conducted on weekends in a community center room with 3-10 participants. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 1-month, and 3-month follow-ups. Primary outcomes were work-family balance self-efficacy (WFBSE), four types of work-family spillovers (i.e., work-to-family conflict, family-to-work conflict, work-to-family facilitation, and family-to-work facilitation), psychological distress, and work engagement reported by the participants. RESULTS: The program had significantly pooled intervention effects on WFBSE (P = .031) and psychological distress (P = .014). The effect sizes (Cohen's d) were small, with values of 0.22 at the 1-month follow-up and 0.24 at the 3-month follow-up for WFBSE, and -0.36 at the 3-month follow-up for psychological distress. However, the program had nonsignificant pooled effects on four types of work-family spillovers and work engagement. CONCLUSIONS: The program effectively increased WFBSE and decreased psychological distress among Japanese dual-earner couples with a preschool child(/ren).