Average daily glucocorticoid dose, number of prescription days, and cumulative dose in the initial 90 days of glucocorticoid therapy are associated with subsequent hip and clinical vertebral fracture risk: a retrospective cohort study using a nationwide health insurance claims database in Japan.

PURPOSE: Fracture risk assessment is recommended at three months after glucocorticoid (GC) therapy initiation. This study aimed to assess whether GC exposure in the initial 90 days of GC therapy is associated with subsequent hip and clinical vertebral fracture risk using the nationwide health insurance claims database of Japan (NDBJ). METHODS: Patients aged ≥ 50 years who were prescribed GC (≥ 70 mg prednisolone or equivalent; PSL) in the initial 90 days of GC therapy and were followed for hip and clinical vertebral fracture incidences for the subsequent 1080 days were selected from NDBJ. Associations of GC exposure with hip or clinical vertebral fracture risk were evaluated by Cox regression analysis adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: We selected 316,396 women and 299,871 men for the GC-exposed group and 43,164 women and 33,702 men for the reference group. Higher GC doses and longer prescription days in the initial 90 days of GC therapy were significantly and dose-dependently associated with increased fracture risk relative to the reference group. Patients receiving GC ≥ 5 mg PSL/day had a significantly increased fracture risk in the stratum of 30-59 days of GC prescription. In addition, female patients who received GC (≥ 1 and < 2.5 mg PSL/day) for 90 days in the initial 90 days of GC therapy had a significantly increased fracture risk. CONCLUSIONS: GC exposure in the initial 90 days of GC therapy was dose-dependently associated with hip and clinical vertebral fracture risk. GC may increase fracture risk with lower doses for shorter durations than previously reported. Fracture risk assessment three months after glucocorticoid (GC) therapy initiation is recommended. We found that GC exposure in the initial 90 days of GC therapy at lower daily doses for shorter durations than previously reported were significantly and dose-dependently associated with fracture risk using a nationwide health insurance claims database.

A meta-analysis of previous falls and subsequent fracture risk in cohort studies.

The relationship between self-reported falls and fracture risk was estimated in an international meta-analysis of individual-level data from 46 prospective cohorts. Previous falls were associated with an increased fracture risk in women and men and should be considered as an additional risk factor in the FRAX® algorithm. INTRODUCTION: Previous falls are a well-documented risk factor for subsequent fracture but have not yet been incorporated into the FRAX algorithm. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in an international meta-analysis, the association between previous falls and subsequent fracture risk and its relation to sex, age, duration of follow-up, and bone mineral density (BMD). METHODS: The resource comprised 906,359 women and men (66.9% female) from 46 prospective cohorts. Previous falls were uniformly defined as any fall occurring during the previous year in 43 cohorts; the remaining three cohorts had a different question construct. The association between previous falls and fracture risk (any clinical fracture, osteoporotic fracture, major osteoporotic fracture, and hip fracture) was examined using an extension of the Poisson regression model in each cohort and each sex, followed by random-effects meta-analyses of the weighted beta coefficients. RESULTS: Falls in the past year were reported in 21.4% of individuals. During a follow-up of 9,102,207 person-years, 87,352 fractures occurred of which 19,509 were hip fractures. A previous fall was associated with a significantly increased risk of any clinical fracture both in women (hazard ratio (HR) 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33-1.51) and men (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.41-1.67). The HRs were of similar magnitude for osteoporotic, major osteoporotic fracture, and hip fracture. Sex significantly modified the association between previous fall and fracture risk, with predictive values being higher in men than in women (e.g., for major osteoporotic fracture, HR 1.53 (95% CI 1.27-1.84) in men vs. HR 1.32 (95% CI 1.20-1.45) in women, P for interaction = 0.013). The HRs associated with previous falls decreased with age in women and with duration of follow-up in men and women for most fracture outcomes. There was no evidence of an interaction between falls and BMD for fracture risk. Subsequent risk for a major osteoporotic fracture increased with each additional previous fall in women and men. CONCLUSIONS: A previous self-reported fall confers an increased risk of fracture that is largely independent of BMD. Previous falls should be considered as an additional risk factor in future iterations of FRAX to improve fracture risk prediction.

Early-onset dementia and risk of hip fracture and major osteoporotic fractures.

INTRODUCTION: There is limited knowledge about early-onset dementia (EOD) on fracture risk. METHODS: Individuals ages 50 to 64 were identified from the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (2012 to 2019). The association between EOD and fractures and the association between cholinesterase inhibitors for EOD and fractures were evaluated using logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: We identified 13,614 EOD patients and 9,144,560 cognitively healthy individuals. The analysis revealed that EOD was associated with an increased risk of hip fractures (adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 8.79, 7.37-10.48), vertebral fractures (1.73, 1.48-2.01), and major osteoporotic fractures (2.05, 1.83-2.30) over 3 years. The use of cholinesterase inhibitors was significantly associated with a reduction in hip fractures among EOD patients (0.28, 0.11-0.69). DISCUSSION: EOD patients have a higher risk of osteoporotic fractures than cognitively healthy individuals. The use of cholinesterase inhibitors may reduce the risk of hip fracture among EOD patients. HIGHLIGHTS: It is unknown whether early-onset dementia (EOD) increases the risk of fractures. We identified 13,614 individuals with EOD using a nationwide administrative database. Patients with EOD have a higher risk of hip, vertebral, and major osteoporotic fractures. The use of cholinesterase inhibitors may reduce hip fracture among patients with EOD.

Hip and vertebral fracture risk after initiating antidiabetic drugs in Japanese elderly: a nationwide study.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to clarify the risks of initiating antidiabetic drugs for fractures using a nationwide health insurance claims database (NDBJ). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients aged ≥ 65 years initiating antidiabetic drugs at the outpatient department were enrolled after a 180-day period without prescribed antidiabetic drugs and followed with during 2012-2018 using NDBJ. The adjusted hazard risks (HRs) of each antidiabetic drug (thiazolidine, alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 [DPP-4] inhibitor, sulfonylurea, glinide, and insulin) for fractures compared with biguanide were obtained adjusting for age, gender, polypharmacy, dementia, and the other antidiabetic drugs. RESULTS: The DPP-4 inhibitor was the most often prescribed antidiabetic drug followed by biguanide with prescribed proportions of 71.7% and 12.9%. A total of 4,304 hip fractures and 9,388 vertebral fractures were identified among the 966,700 outpatient participants. Compared with biguanide, insulin, alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, and DPP-4 inhibitor were related to increased hip fracture risks. Vertebral fracture risk was higher in outpatients prescribed with insulin, thiazolidine, and DPP-4 inhibitor compared with biguanide. Patients prescribed insulin for hip and vertebral fractures' adjusted HRs were 2.17 (95% CI 1.77-2.66) and 1.45 (95% CI 1.24-1.70), respectively. Those prescribed DPP-4 inhibitor for hip and vertebral fractures' adjusted HRs were 1.27 (95% CI 1.15-1.40) and 1.20 (95% CI 1.12-1.28), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Initiating insulin increased the risk of not only hip fractures but also vertebral fractures. Patients initiating antidiabetic drugs had increased risks of hip and vertebral fractures compared with those initiating biguanide independently for age, gender, polypharmacy, and dementia in the Japanese elderly.

Association between pharmacotherapy and secondary hip fracture in a real-world setting: a nationwide database study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess the association between pharmacotherapy and secondary hip fracture incidence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The correlation between secondary hip fracture incidence and the presence, type, and medication possession ratio (MPR) of pharmacotherapy was investigated using medical insurance data acquired from the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan. RESULTS: Data collected from female patients (n = 1,435,347) were analyzed. The 2-year secondary hip fracture incidence was 3.48% (n = 49,921). Secondary hip fracture was significantly more common in patients without medications (3.80%) than in those with medications (3.00%). Patients receiving selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) had the lowest average age. The crude incidence of secondary hip fracture was the lowest in patients receiving SERMs (n = 2088 [2.52%]), followed by those taking bisphosphonates (n = 11,355 [2.88%]), denosumab (n = 1118 [2.90%]), no medications (n = 32,747 [3.80%]), and parathyroid hormone (PTH: n = 2163 [4.55%]), whereas the age-adjusted incidence was the lowest in patients administered denosumab (2.27%), followed by those taking bisphosphonates (2.47%), SERMs (2.55%), PTH (3.67%), and no medications (3.80%). The mean MPR was the highest in patients taking denosumab (64.9%), followed by those receiving bisphosphonates (58.7%), SERMs (58.2%), and PTH (40.6%) in the no hip fracture group. CONCLUSION: Secondary hip fractures were less likely to occur with medication versus no medication. Differences in the crude incidence of secondary hip fracture based on medications usage might be attributed to background characteristics.

Breakfast Skipping and Declines in Cognitive Score Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study of the HEIJO-KYO Cohort.

Previous studies outlined the correlation of adverse effects of breakfast skipping with cognitive function. However, the majority of these studies have focused on the short-term effects; to date, the long-term effect of breakfast skipping on cognitive function among older adults remains unclear. In this prospective cohort study of 712 older adults (mean age, 70.8 years), breakfast skipping was defined as skipping breakfast one or more times per week, and declines in cognitive score was defined as decreases in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of two or more in the observed period. During follow-up (median, 31 months), 135 of 712 participants developed declines in cognitive score. Poisson regression models revealed that the incidence rate for declines in cognitive score was significantly higher in breakfast skipper (n = 29) than breakfast eaters (n = 683) [incidence rate ratio (IRR), 2.10; 95% CI, 1.28-3.44]. Additional propensity score adjustments related to breakfast skipping from baseline parameters (age, gender, smoking and drinking status, BMI, household income, educated level, depressive symptoms, hypertension, diabetes, sleep medication, physical activity, caloric intake, and baseline cognition) produced consistent results (IRR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.33-3.68). Sensitivity analysis, when the cut-off value of decreases in MMSE score was changed to three points, suggested a significant and stronger association (IRR, 3.03; 95% CI, 1.72-5.35). Regarding daily intakes of food groups, breakfast skippers consumed a significantly lower amount of vegetables, fruits, and fish than breakfast eaters. In conclusion, our findings suggest that breakfast skipping is longitudinally associated with declines in cognitive score among older adults.

Association between trunk-to-peripheral fat ratio and renal function in elderly Japanese men: baseline data from the Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) study.

BACKGROUND: Central obesity as measured by waist-to-hip circumference ratio (WHR) has been reported to be associated with renal hemodynamics and function. However, the adipose component of WHR, which is a composite measure of fat mass and fat-free mass, is small, particularly in nonobese subjects. Trunk-to-peripheral fat ratio as measured using dual-energy absorptiometry (DXA) is a more precise method for evaluating central fat distribution than WHR. The present study investigated the cross-sectional association between DXA-measured trunk-to-peripheral fat ratio and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in community-dwelling elderly Japanese men. METHODS: Participants were 575 men aged ≥65 years at the time of the baseline survey of the second Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) cohort study. Trunk-to-appendicular fat ratio (TAR) was calculated as trunk fat divided by appendicular fat (sum of arm and leg fat), and trunk-to-leg fat ratio (TLR) as trunk fat divided by leg fat. RESULTS: eGFR values significantly decreased from the lowest to the highest quintile of TAR/TLR. After adjusting for potential confounding factors including whole-body fat, the highest quintile of both TAR and TLR showed statistically significant odds ratios for the risk of eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2, relative to the lowest quintile. In addition, a significant decreasing trend was observed for eGFR values from the lowest to the highest quintile of TAR/TLR after adjusting for confounding factors including whole-body fat. CONCLUSION: Elderly men with a large trunk-to-peripheral fat ratio tended to have a lower eGFR. This association occurred independently of that between whole-body fat and eGFR.

Attitude toward breakfast mediates the associations of wake time and appetite for breakfast with frequency of eating breakfast.

PURPOSE: We investigated associations among attitude toward breakfast, appetite for breakfast, wake time, personality traits, self-esteem, and frequency of eating breakfast in university students and proposed a model of factors affecting the frequency of eating breakfast. METHODS: The participants, 555 Japanese university students (177 men, 378 women), completed a questionnaire about their height and weight, living with family, wake time, frequency of eating breakfast, appetite for breakfast, attitude toward breakfast, personality traits, and self-esteem. Appetite for breakfast was evaluated with a four-point Likert-type scale. Attitude toward breakfast was assessed with a 13-item questionnaire using a five-point Likert-type scale; responses to the items were summed, and divided by the number of items to produce a score. RESULTS: Multiple linear regression analysis showed that frequency of eating breakfast was positively associated with appetite for breakfast and attitude toward breakfast, and inversely associated with wake time. Wake time was inversely associated with attitude toward breakfast, and appetite for breakfast was positively associated with attitude toward breakfast. Structural equation modeling showed that the structured model based on the multiple regression analysis was a good fit for both men (chi-square value to the degrees of freedom [χ2/df] = 1.096, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.023) and women (χ2/df = 1.510, RMSEA = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that wake time and appetite for breakfast are directly associated with frequency of eating breakfast. Attitude toward breakfast mediates the indirect association between frequency of eating breakfast and both wake time and appetite for breakfast. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

Insufficient persistence of and adherence to osteoporosis pharmacotherapy in Japan.

INTRODUCTION: Only a few large-scale studies have examined the care gap in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate the persistence of and adherence to osteoporosis pharmacotherapy in Japan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rates of continuation (persistence) of and adherence to osteoporosis pharmacotherapy were investigated using medical insurance data, issued from July 2013 to December 2018, from the medical care system for elderly individuals in Hokkaido, Japan. RESULTS: The study included 7918 male and 52,585 female patients. Persistence rates were 62.1% in the first year and 45.3% in the second year. There were 33,096 patients who discontinued medication; 8296 patients resumed medication during the observation period of 730 days. The median time to the discontinuation of medication for all the patients was 702 days. The 2-year medication possession ratio (MPR) was 63.8%; 30,989 patients (51.2%) had an MPR ≥ 80% and 20,788 (34.4%) had an MPR < 50%. Both the persistence and adherence were better in females than in males and worsened with increasing age. Comparisons of fracture history showed that persistence and MPR were higher in the no hip or vertebral fracture group, followed by hip fracture, vertebral fracture, and hip and vertebral fracture groups. Meanwhile, more patients in the hip fracture group had an MPR ≥ 80%. CONCLUSION: Persistence of and adherence to osteoporotic pharmacotherapy are not very high in Japan. To bridge the care gap following osteoporosis pharmacotherapy, improvements are required for males, the elderly, and those with a history of vertebral fracture.

Dietary calcium and vitamin K are associated with osteoporotic fracture risk in middle-aged and elderly Japanese women, but not men: the Murakami Cohort Study.

Although dietary Ca, vitamin D and vitamin K are nutritional factors associated with osteoporosis, little is known about their effects on incident osteoporotic fractures in East Asian populations. This study aimed to determine whether intakes of these nutrients predict incident osteoporotic fractures. We adopted a cohort study design with a 5-year follow-up. Subjects were 12 794 community-dwelling individuals (6301 men and 6493 women) aged 40-74 years. Dietary intakes of Ca, vitamin D and vitamin K were assessed with a validated FFQ. Covariates were demographic and lifestyle factors. All incident cases of major osteoporotic limb fractures, including those of the distal forearm, neck of humerus, neck or trochanter of femur and lumbar or thoracic spine were collected. Hazard ratios (HR) for energy-adjusted Ca, vitamin D and vitamin K were calculated with the residual method. Mean age was 58·8 (sd 9·3) years. Lower energy-adjusted intakes of Ca and vitamin K in women were associated with higher adjusted HR of total fractures (Pfor trend = 0·005 and 0·08, respectively). When vertebral fracture was the outcome, Pfor trend values for Ca and vitamin K were 0·03 and 0·006, respectively, and HR of the lowest and highest (reference) intake groups were 2·03 (95 % CI 1·08, 3·82) and 2·26 (95 % CI 1·19, 4·26), respectively. In men, there were null associations between incident fractures and each of the three nutrient intakes. Lower intakes of dietary Ca and vitamin K were independent lifestyle-related risk factors for osteoporotic fracture in women but not men. These associations were robust for vertebral fractures, but not for limb fractures.

Associations between trunk-to-peripheral fat ratio and cardiometabolic risk factors in elderly Japanese men: baseline data from the Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) study.

BACKGROUND: Body mass-independent parameters might be more appropriate for assessing cardiometabolic abnormalities than weight-dependent indices in Asians who have relatively high visceral adiposity but low body fat. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-measured trunk-to-peripheral fat ratio is one such body mass-independent index. However, there are no reports on relationships between DXA-measured regional fat ratio and cardiometabolic risk factors targeting elderly Asian men. METHODS: We analyzed cross-sectional data of 597 elderly men who participated in the baseline survey of the Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) study, a community-based single-center prospective cohort study conducted in Japan. Whole-body fat and regional fat were measured with a DXA scanner. Trunk-to-appendicular fat ratio (TAR) was calculated as trunk fat divided by appendicular fat (sum of arm and leg fat), and trunk-to-leg fat ratio (TLR) as trunk fat divided by leg fat. RESULTS: Both TAR and TLR in the group of men who used ≥ 1 medication for hypertension, dyslipidemia, or diabetes ("user group"; N = 347) were significantly larger than those who did not use such medication ("non-user group"; N = 250) (P < 0.05). After adjusting for potential confounding factors including whole-body fat, both TAR and TLR were significantly associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, fasting serum insulin, and the insulin resistance index in the non-user group and non-overweight men in the non-user group (N = 199). CONCLUSION: The trunk-to-peripheral fat ratio was associated with cardiometabolic risk factors independently of whole-body fat mass. Parameters of the fat ratio may be useful for assessing cardiometabolic risk factors, particularly in underweight to normal-weight populations.

Determinants of bone health in elderly Japanese men: study design and key findings of the Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) study was launched to investigate risk factors for osteoporotic fractures, interactions of osteoporosis with other non-communicable chronic diseases, and effects of fracture on QOL and mortality. METHODS: FORMEN baseline study participants (in 2007 and 2008) included 2012 community-dwelling men (aged 65-93 years) in Nara prefecture, Japan. Clinical follow-up surveys were conducted 5 and 10 years after the baseline survey, and 1539 and 906 men completed them, respectively. Supplemental mail, telephone, and visit surveys were conducted with non-participants to obtain outcome information. Survival and fracture outcomes were determined for 2006 men, with 566 deaths identified and 1233 men remaining in the cohort at 10-year follow-up. COMMENTS: The baseline survey covered a wide range of bone health-related indices including bone mineral density, trabecular microarchitecture assessment, vertebral imaging for detecting vertebral fractures, and biochemical markers of bone turnover, as well as comprehensive geriatric assessment items. Follow-up surveys were conducted to obtain outcomes including osteoporotic fracture, cardiovascular diseases, initiation of long-term care, and mortality. A complete list of publications relating to the FORMEN study can be found at https://www.med.kindai.ac.jp/pubheal/FORMEN/Publications.html .

Natto Intake is Inversely Associated with Osteoporotic Fracture Risk in Postmenopausal Japanese Women.

BACKGROUND: The direct association between intake of Japanese fermented soybeans, namely natto, and bone mineral density (BMD) is known. However, the association with osteoporotic fractures has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether habitual natto intake is associated with a risk of osteoporotic fractures. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 1417 postmenopausal Japanese women who were enrolled in the Japanese Population-Based Osteoporosis cohort study in 1996, 1999, 2002, and 2006 and were aged ≥45 y at baseline. The intake of natto, tofu, and other soybean products was surveyed with use of a FFQ at baseline. Fractures were ascertained in follow-up surveys conducted in 1999, 2002, 2006, and 2011/2012. Osteoporotic fracture was the primary outcome and was defined as a clinical fracture occurring without strong external force, diagnosed with radiographs by a medical doctor. HRs with 95% CIs were estimated with Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: During the 17,699 person-years of follow-up (median, 15.2 y), 172 women experienced osteoporotic fractures. After adjustment for age and BMD at the total hip, the HRs compared with those of < 1 pack (approximately 40 g)/wk natto intake were 0.72 (95% CI: 0.52, 0.98) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.30, 0.87) for 1-6 and ≥7 packs/wk, respectively. After further adjustment for BMI, history of osteoporotic fractures, history of myocardial infarction or stroke, diabetes mellitus, current smoking, alcohol intake, frequency of tofu and other soybean product intakes, and dietary calcium intake, the HRs were 0.79 (95% CI: 0.56, 1.10) and 0.56 (95% CI: 0.32, 0.99) for 1-6 and ≥7 packs/wk, respectively. Frequency of tofu or other soybean product intakes had no association with the risk of osteoporotic fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Habitual natto intake may be associated with a reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures independent of confounding factors, including BMD, in Japanese postmenopausal women. This trial was registered at umin.ac.jp as UMIN 000032869.

Insufficient increase in bone mineral density testing rates and pharmacotherapy after hip fracture in Japan.

INTRODUCTION: Only a few large-scale studies have examined the care gap in Japan. The present study aims to examine the care gap for secondary fracture prevention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Changes in the rates of bone mineral density testing (test rate) and osteoporosis pharmacotherapy administration (treatment rate) before and after hip and vertebral fracture registration were examined based on medical insurance data from the medical care system for elderly individuals in Hokkaido, Japan, issued from July 2013 to December 2018. RESULTS: The hip fracture group comprised 18,258 women and 4162 men, whereas the vertebral fracture group comprised 34,907 women and 9958 men. Test rates were 0.2% and 1.4% prior to fracture registration (pre-registration) and 19.9% and 40.5% after fracture registration (post-registration) in the hip and vertebral fracture groups, respectively. Moreover, pre-registration treatment rates were 18.3% and 28.2% and post-registration rates were 32.7% and 61.0% in the hip and vertebral fracture groups, respectively. The vertebral fracture group had a significantly higher post-registration test and treatment rates than the hip fracture group. Moreover, the post-registration test and treatment rates in the hip fracture group tended to increase over the years. Both fracture groups showed a tendency for decreased post-registration test and treatment rates as age increased, with lower rates observed among men. CONCLUSIONS: Test and treatment rates after hip fracture registration remain lower compared with those after vertebral fracture registration. To bridge the care gap following fractures, medical professionals need better awareness regarding osteoporosis treatment for hip fractures among elderly individuals and males.

Maternal pre-pregnancy underweight is associated with underweight and low bone mass in school-aged children.

INTRODUCTION: A number of studies have reported that pre-pregnancy overweight status is associated with offspring obesity, yet only a few studies have examined pre-pregnancy underweight status as it associates with offspring health. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of pre-pregnancy underweight status in a mother on health outcomes in her offspring. To this end, the primary outcome examined in the present study was underweight status in the offspring, with a secondary outcome of offspring low bone mass. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present retrospective cohort study, conducted from 2008 to 2011, targeted a source population of all students registered as fifth-graders at three public elementary schools in Hamamatsu and Fukuroi cities. Maternal height and weight before and after pregnancy and offspring weight and height at birth were obtained from the Maternal and Child Health Handbook. Offspring weight and height at age 10 years were measured using standard procedures. Offspring total body less head (TBLH) bone mineral content (BMC) was determined with a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanner. RESULTS: Pre-pregnancy underweight status was found to be associated with an increased risk of an underweight status in female offspring (OR = 2.88, 95% CI 1.06-7.81). Offspring TBLH BMC in the underweight mother group was significantly lower than that in the non-underweight mother group. CONCLUSIONS: We determined that pre-pregnancy underweight status was more likely to lead to an underweight status and low TBLH BMC in school-aged offspring.

Predictors of decline in vitamin D status in middle-aged and elderly individuals: a 5-year follow-up study.

Little is known about predictors of decline in vitamin D status (vitamin D decline) over time. We aimed to determine demographic and lifestyle variables associated with vitamin D decline by sufficiently controlling for seasonal effects of vitamin D uptake in a middle-aged to elderly population. Using a longitudinal study design within the larger framework of the Murakami Cohort Study, we examined 1044 individuals aged between 40 and 74 years, who provided blood samples at baseline and at 5-year follow-up, the latter of which were taken on a date near the baseline examination (±14 d). Blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were determined with the Liaison® 25OH Vitamin D Total Assay. A self-administered questionnaire collected demographic, body size and lifestyle information. Vitamin D decline was defined as the lowest tertile of 5-year changes in blood 25(OH)D (Δ25(OH)D) concentration (<6·7 nmol/l). Proportions of those with vitamin D decline were 182/438 (41·6 %) in men and 166/606 (27·4 %) in women (P < 0·0001). In men, risk of vitamin D decline was significantly lower in those with an outdoor occupation (P = 0·0099) and those with the highest quartile of metabolic equivalent score (OR 0·34; 95 % CI 0·14, 0·83), and higher in those with 'university or higher' levels of education (OR 2·92; 95 % CI 1·04, 8·19). In women, risk of vitamin D decline tended to be lower with higher levels of vitamin D intake (Pfor trend = 0·0651) and green tea consumption (Pfor trend = 0·0025). Predictors of vitamin D decline differ by sex, suggesting that a sex-dependent intervention may help to maintain long-term vitamin D levels.

Trends in Serum Lipid Levels of a 10- and 13-Year-Old Population in Fukuroi City, Japan (2007-2017).

BACKGROUND: Current trends in serum lipid levels among children are likely to be important predictors of future cardiovascular disease prevalence. However, no studies have examined trends in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in Japanese children. METHODS: We investigated trends in LDL-C levels from 2008 through 2017 and HDL-C levels from 2007 through 2017 in a population of 10- and 13-year-old children in Fukuroi City, Japan. We analyzed 17,838 children, accounting for 93.8% of all fifth and eighth graders in the entire city. Adverse lipid levels were defined as follows: 130 mg/dL or higher for LDL-C, and lower than 40 mg/dL for HDL-C. The Jonckheere-Terpstra and Cochran-Armitage tests were used to evaluate secular trends in mean serum lipid levels and prevalence of dyslipidemia, respectively. RESULTS: There were no significant trends in BMI during the study period. In children aged 10 years, serum levels of LDL-C and HDL-C showed significant positive associations with calendar year during the study period for both sexes. A significant increase in HDL-C levels was observed in girls aged 13 years. On the other hand, no significant trends were observed in the prevalence of high LDL-C or low HDL-C regardless of sex or age, while the prevalence of high non-HDL-C showed a significant increase in boys. CONCLUSIONS: In the Fukuroi population, serum levels of LDL-C and HDL-C slightly increased in both boys and girls aged 10 years, and HDL-C levels slightly increased in girls aged 13 years, during the past decade.

Psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire for Children.

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 20-item Japanese version of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire for Children (DEBQ-C). A population-based sample of 502 Japanese school children who were fifth- and sixth-graders in elementary schools and first- and second-graders in junior high schools was assessed. A sample was randomly split into two subsamples, one for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and another for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Internal consistency estimates for subscales (restrained, emotional, and external) were evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. Measurement invariance was examined across each subgroup (genders: boys and girls, school categories: elementary school and junior high school, body mass index (BMI) categories: underweight, normal weight, and overweight) by using multi-group CFA. The Japanese version of the DEBQ-C demonstrates good results of item analysis. The three-factor structure of the original DEBQ-C was supported by both EFA and CFA. The reliability of each factor was also satisfied (restrained: α = 0.86, emotional: α = 0.90, external: α = 0.86). Results of multi-group confirmatory factor analysis supported its metric and scalar or partial scalar measurement invariance across all subgroups. In gender subgroup, girls scored higher on restrained eating. In school subgroup, junior high school children scored higher on emotional and external eating. In BMI subgroup, overweight children scored higher on restrained eating. These findings suggest that the Japanese version of the DEBQ-C is a psychometrically valid and reliable instrument for assessing eating behaviors across gender, school categories, and BMI categories in Japanese children.

Trunk-to-peripheral fat ratio predicts a subsequent blood pressure in normal-weight pubertal boys: a 3-year follow-up of the Kitakata Kids Health Study.

BACKGROUND: Limited evidence exists regarding the relationship between central-to-peripheral fat ratio measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and subsequent cardiometabolic risk in both pediatric and adult populations. METHODS: The present cohort study investigated the relationship between DXA-measured body fat distribution and cardiometabolic parameters. The source population was 275 4th-6th graders (aged 9.6-12.6 years) in the northeast region of Japan (Shiokawa area in Kitakata). A 3-year follow-up was conducted to obtain complete information from 155 normal-weight children (87 boys and 68 girls). Normal-weight children were identified using sex- and age-specific international cut-offs for body mass index (BMI) based on adult BMI values of 25 kg/m2 and 18.5 kg/m2, respectively. Body fat distribution was assessed using the trunk-to-appendicular fat ratio (TAR) and trunk-to-leg fat ratio (TLR) measured by DXA. RESULTS: In boys, systolic blood pressure (SBP) at follow-up showed a significant relationship with TAR at baseline after adjusting for age, height, pubic hair appearance, SBP, and whole body fat at baseline (ß = 0.24, P < 0.05), and SBP also showed a significant relationship with TLR after adjusting for confounding factors including whole body fat (ß = 0.25, P < 0.05). In girls, there were no significant relationships between blood pressure and TAR/TLR. CONCLUSION: Body fat distribution in normal-weight boys predicted subsequent blood pressure levels in adolescence. The relationship between fat distribution and blood pressure was independent of fat volume.

Relationships between serum leptin levels and bone mineral parameters in school-aged children: a 3-year follow-up study.

Leptin regulates bone cell differentiation and functions via direct and indirect actions in experimental settings. Epidemiologically, however, the impact of leptin on the regulation of bone metabolism remains unclear. While some studies have reported a positive relationship between leptin and bone mineral parameters, other studies found an inverse or no association. We analyzed data from a population-based follow-up survey of community-dwelling children in Hamamatsu, Japan, to investigate relationships between leptin levels and bone mineral parameters. Multiple regression analysis was performed. Multicollinearity was quantified using the variance infiltration factor (VIF). Among 408 children who participated in the baseline survey (at age 11.2 years), 254 (121 boys and 133 girls) completed the follow-up survey (at age 14.2 years). Leptin levels were strongly related to fat mass (r = 0.87 in boys, r = 0.80 in girls). Leptin levels at baseline were significantly (P < 0.05) positively related to total body less head (TBLH) areal bone mineral density (aBMD) at follow-up in girls (standardized partial regression coefficient: ß = 0.302, VIF = 2.246), after adjusting for body fat percentage (%). On the other hand, leptin levels were inversely related to TBLH aBMD in boys (ß = - 0.395, VIF = 4.116), after adjusting for body fat mass (kg). Positive relationships between leptin levels and bone mineral parameters were observed with VIF values < 4.0, whereas inverse relationships were observed with VIF values ≥ 4.0. These findings suggest that positive relationships between leptin levels and bone mineral parameters are weak, or not always observed, due to statistical problems (i.e., multicollinearity) and other factors derived from adipose tissue.