Psychometric properties and validation of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4) with a sample of Japanese adolescent girls.

The Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4) is a 22-item five-factor measure that assesses thin- and muscular-ideal internalization as well as appearance-related pressures from peers, family, and media. The scale has been validated in Western cultures, but has not yet been examined in Eastern samples. Two studies were conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the SATAQ-4 among 946 Japanese adolescent girls. In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis of the SATAQ-4 indicated that the five-factor structure was largely replicated with the exception of two cross-loading items. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis indicated good fit for the full 22-item and reduced 20-item versions of the measure. SATAQ-4 subscales exhibited good internal consistency and were correlated in the expected direction with experiences of appearance teasing, strategies to lose and/or gain weight, and drive for muscularity. Overall, results support the reliability and validity of the SATAQ-4 among Japanese adolescent girls.

[A study of the psychological factors underlying weight-loss behavior among female adolescents].

PURPOSE: The purpose of present study was to investigate to the relationship between tendency to diet and psychological factors in female adolescents who were not obese. METHODS: The Japanese Decisional Balance Inventory (KC-DBI), Japanese Situational Appetite Efficacy (KC-SAM) and Japanese Diet Efficacy Measure-6 (KC-DEM6) were assessed. The participants were 853 female college students who were divided into underweight and normal groups with reference to their BMI. RESULTS: The results showed that score for KC-DBI, KC-SAM (negative feeling, hunger, relaxation) and KC-DEM6 differed with the degree of appetite change. A main effect on body figures was indicated only for KC-SAM (relaxation). There were no interactions in this analysis. Active participants showed a tendency to consider weight loss as a merit and to have fewer difficulties in controlling urges to overeat when they were feeling negative than the others. Furthermore, they had-little efficacy in controlling their desire to be thin. We suggest that discussion of the merits of weight loss and interventions to enhance eating behavior are effective for health promotion in female adolescents. DISCUSSION: This study indicates some suggestions for educating female adolescents about the problems related to inappropriate dieting, and the results can used in the development of intervention programs.

Correlation between a liking for fat-rich foods and body fatness in adult Japanese: a gender difference.

The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that Japanese adults who like fat-rich foods have more body fatness and higher serum lipid levels than those who do not. The subjects were 540 male and 492 female workers under 41 years of age. A self-administered questionnaire determined four levels of liking for fat-rich foods. Anthropometric measurements were employed yielding body mass index (BMI), waist to hip circumference ratio (WHR), and skinfold thickness. Anthropometric values were compared among the levels of liking for fat-rich foods using analysis of covariance. For males, a liking for fat-rich foods was associated with BMI, WHR, whole-body skinfold thickness, and abdominal skinfold thickness (p<0.0001). In particular, those who like fat-rich foods "quite a bit" or "very much" showed significantly higher values than those who answered "no" or "a little". Multiple regression analysis showed that a liking for fat-rich foods explains 7-9% of the variation in the anthropometric indices, even when other lifestyles were taken into account. For females, such findings were not evident. There is a gender difference in the association between a liking for fat-rich foods and body fatness. The difference may be due to a female-specific attitude toward high-calorie foods.

Effects of hostility and lifestyle on coronary heart disease among middle-aged urban Japanese.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between multi-dimensional aspects of hostility and coronary heart disease among middle-aged urban Japanese. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We conducted a case-control study. Cases were consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome admitted to a hospital in Japan. Fifty-three patients (45 men and 8 women) aged 35 to 65 were enrolled. For each case, two sex and age (+/-2 years) matched controls were recruited from among participants in a health check-up program at a health promotion center located in the same area as the hospital. Two questionnaires, both with four components, were used to measure hostility and coping with anger: the one was for anger, hostility, physical aggression and verbal aggression, and the other for aggression, social inhibition, guilt, and controlled affect. RESULTS: The scores of all components from two questionnaires were higher for cases than controls, but the differences were not significant. Multivariate analysis showed that anger, fat intake, alcohol consumption and house size were significantly associated with the etiology of acute coronary syndrome. CONCLUSION: Anger, lifestyle, and socioeconomic status play important roles for the etiology of coronary heart disease in middle-aged urban Japanese.

Validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Emotional Intelligence Scale among college students and psychiatric outpatients.

We examined the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Emotional Intelligence Scale in two samples of 267 college students and 398 psychiatric outpatients. Suitable validity and reliability of this scale were suggested by high correlations with scores on the NEO Personality Inventory, adequate internal consistency, and relatively high test-retest correlations. The Emotional Intelligence Scale seems suitable for both clinically distressed populations as well as comparative groups such as college students.

Association of emotional intelligence with alexithymic characteristics.

We examined the association of emotional intelligence and alexithymic characteristics as the personality trait in cohorts of 267 college students and 398 psychiatric outpatients. Score on the Toronto Alexithymia Scale were significantly correlated with those on the Emotional Intelligence Scale, suggesting that alexithymic characteristics are related to lower emotional intelligence. In conclusion, these data suggest that emotional intelligence overlaps with alexithymia.

Adopting the stage model for smoking acquisition in Japanese adolescents.

The purpose of the present study was to apply the stages of change model to smoking acquisition in Japanese adolescents. The participants were 556 senior and 1002 junior high school students who responded anonymously to the questionnaire. The findings of this study confirm that the stage model is indeed applicable to smoking acquisition in Japanese adolescents. It was clearly seen that the process involves four stages: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, and action. Furthermore, the results showed that measures of self-efficacy decreased, while temptation increased from precontemplation to action stages. The pros of smoking behavior increased toward action stage, while the cons decreased.

[Snacking behavior among elementary and junior high school students and its relationship to stress-coping].

The aim of the present study was to investigate current problems of snacking behavior and their relationship to stress coping among 1,486 fourth through ninth grade students from 10 elementary schools and six junior high schools. An anonymous self-completed questionnaire was utilized which included items about 1) selection of snack foods, which were classified into healthy, popular, complementary and western-style snacks, 2) problems of snacking behavior, which included external and emotional eating scores, and 3) stress coping scale. The stress coping scale contained two sub-scales; problem-focused and emotion-focused coping. The results were as follows: 1) Students who frequently went without breakfast did not select healthy foods, i.e., fruits and dairy products, but popular snacks, i.e., potato chips, pop corn and sweet beverage. 2) Both external and emotional eating scores increased by age in girls but was not apparent in boys. 3) Students who preferred either western-style or popular snacks showed higher score of external and emotional eating. 4) The score of problem-focused coping was positively correlated with preference for health snacks, but emotion-focused coping was positively correlated with external and emotional eating scores. The close relationship between snack food selection and problematic aspects of eating behavior suggests that modification of eating behavior is necessary to develop healthy snack habits in early adolescents. Also, it is interesting that snacking behavior is closely related to stress coping, which suggested the behavioral intervention for healthy eating habit should be included in development of stress-coping skills against various kinds of demands in life.

Relationship between self-esteem and smoking behavior among Japanese early adolescents: initial results from a three-year study.

Researchers examined the relationship between self-esteem and smoking behavior among Japanese elementary and junior high school students. Students (2,090) in fourth to ninth grade from three elementary schools and two junior high schools in the Hyogo and Niigata prefectures completed an anonymous questionnaire. Self-esteem was measured using the Harter Perceived Competence Scale, the Pope Self-Esteem Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Results indicated that never smokers had higher cognitive, family, and global self-esteem, but lower physical self-esteem than ever smokers. Grade and gender were significantly associated with self-esteem, showing a decrease of self-esteem with increases in grade and a higher level of self-esteem among boys than girls. The results suggest that effective smoking prevention programs for Japanese early adolescents should be integrated into more comprehensive health education or health promotion programs including self-esteem enhancement training.

Eating problems in female Japanese high school students: a prevalence study.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of eating problems and to identify factors associated with the eating problems among Japanese high school girls. METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional design. The study population was 3,032 female students attending three high schools in Fukushima, Japan. The 26-item version of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was administered to assess eating problems. Inquiries were also made regarding possible risk factors for the eating problems. RESULTS: Of the 2,685 subjects, 5.4% had a total EAT-26 score above the cutoff point (20 < or =). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that older age, higher body mass index, a distorted body image, obsessive-compulsive tendency, and some familial issues were independently related to the eating problems. DISCUSSION: The prevalence of eating problems in the Japanese female population was low compared with reports from Western countries. In addition, distorted body image was suggested to have the greatest influence on eating problems.

[Development of the Japanese version of the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BAQ)].

The Aggression Questionnaire (Buss & Perry, 1992) has been used to investigate links between personality factors and health outcomes. We developed the Japanese version of the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BAQ) and assessed validity and reliability of the scale. Study I (N = 1,125 college students) used a 45-item rating questionnaire measuring each of four components of aggression: Anger, Hostility, Physical Aggression, and Verbal Aggression. Four aggression subscales emerged clearly from exploratory factor analysis. Study II (N = 611 college students) used a 24-item questionnaire and replicated factor structure and factor loadings of Study I. The scales were shown to be highly internally consistent, and stable at appropriate levels over 4-month time period. Normative data, factorial validity, and external evidence of construct, convergent, and discriminant validity for the scales were also presented.

Associations between anthropometric indices of adiposity and atherogenic risk factors in Japanese working women aged 21-40 years.

This study was conducted to explore whether anthropometric indices of obesity are associated with atherogenic risk factors in young adult working women in Japan. The subjects were 492 women in an occupational setting. Predictor variables were body mass index (BMI), the sum of triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness (SFT), and the waist to hip ratio (WHR). Outcome variables were serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and blood pressures. The average age of the subjects was 26.3 (SD 3.9) years. The upper quartiles of BMI and SFT were significantly associated with all atherogenic risk factors, while the upper quartiles of WHR were not. Multiple comparisons revealed the 4th quartiles of BMI (> 22.25) and SFT (> 39 mm) to have significantly higher values for all atherogenic risk factors. We found that BMI and skinfold thickness were more relevant to the prediction of atherogenic risk factors than WHR in young adult Japanese women.

Increases in body mass index and waist circumference as outcomes of working overtime.

This epidemiologic study was undertaken to determine whether working overtime is associated with anthropometric indices and serum lipids, risk factors for obesity, in white-collar workers. Non-management white-collar male workers were eligible. Body weight and height, waist circumference, skinfold thickness, serum total cholesterol and triglycerides were measured. Weight, height and waist circumference data obtained 3 years previously were also used. Lifestyle information was obtained by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Overtime hours correlated significantly with the 3-year change in body mass index (r = 0.206, p < 0.0017) and waist circumference (r = 0.218, p = 0.0091), but not with either the most recent anthropometric indices or serum lipids. Overtime hours were also intercorrelated (r = 0.436, p < 0.0001) with dinner time. The present study suggested that working overtime is associated with the increases in BMI and waist circumference over a 3-year period although the associations were weak. Additionally, eating habits of those with working overtime might reflect an intervening effect on the anthropometric changes.

[The relationship between smoking behavior and self-esteem among elementary and junior high school students].

OBJECT: This study examined the relationship between smoking behavior and self-esteem among Japanese early adolescents. METHOD: The study sample comprised 1,486 fourth through ninth grade students from 10 elementary schools and six junior high schools throughout nine prefectures. Data were collected using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire which included items measuring smoking behavior, self-esteem, intention to smoke in the future, self-efficacy to refuse peer pressure to smoke, the smoking behaviors of their parents, siblings and friends. Self-esteem was measured using the Harter Perceived Competence Scale which includes four areas: cognitive, social, physical, and general. RESULTS: The main results were as follows: 1) Ever smokers had lower cognitive and general competence scores, but a higher physical competence score than never smokers, especially among males. 2) Ever smokers had more smoking parents, siblings and friends than never smokers. 3) Ever smokers had stronger intention to smoke in the future than never smokers. 4) Ever smokers had lower self-efficacy to refuse peer pressure to smoke than never smokers. CONCLUSION: The results of this study about the relationship between smoking behavior and self-esteem were consistent with those of some previous studies in the U.S. Therefore, it is suggested that effective smoking prevention programs for Japanese early adolescents should include strategies to enhance self-esteem.

Expression of IFN-inducible protein-10 in chronic hepatitis.

Chemokines such as IFN-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) and JE/monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) are induced in the murine liver in a tissue-specific manner. We examined whether IP-10 and MCP-1 are pathologically involved in chronic hepatitis. Whereas the serum levels of IP-10 and MCP-1 in patients with chronic persistent hepatitis C were elevated compared with those in normal volunteers, both chemokine levels were further significantly higher in patients with the active form (chronic active hepatitis (CAH)). The elevated IP-10 level was not a general phenomenon of inflammation, because it was not seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, whereas MCP-1 levels were elevated to the same extent in both patient groups. Better responsiveness to IFN therapy in CAH was related to lesser grades of necroinflammatory activity and was predicted by the lower IP-10 and higher MCP-1 levels. IP-10 levels in patients cured by IFN therapy decreased to the levels in normal volunteers, while the MCP-1 levels only slightly decreased. Serum levels of both chemokines in patients who were not cured remained unchanged after IFN therapy. In situ hybridization analysis of CAH revealed that IP-10 mRNA was expressed mainly in hepatocytes around intralobular focal and periportal piecemeal necrosis, while some MCP-1 mRNA was expressed in some sinusoidal cells. These results suggested that IP-10 plays a specific role in the intralobular accumulation of mononuclear cells and/or the death of hepatocytes in chronic hepatitis.

Shift work and risk factors for coronary heart disease in Japanese blue-collar workers: serum lipids and anthropometric characteristics.

This study was conducted to determine if there is an association between shift work and risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) in Japanese male blue-collar shift workers. Health check-up data on serum lipid concentration and anthropometric indices of 33 three-shift workers and 27 two-shift workers were compared with those of day workers. The average years in age of the shift workers and day workers were 34.5 (SD = 7.1) and 32.7 (SD = 7.6), respectively. Serum total cholesterol levels of three-shift, two-shift and day workers were 5.70 (SD = 1.19) mmol/l, 4.81 (SD = 1.01) mmol/l, 4.98 (SD = 0.95) mmol/l, respectively, and the cholesterol levels of three-shift workers were significantly higher than the other workers (p < 0.05). In addition, the abdominal to hip circumference ratios were 0.905 (SD = 0.060) for three-shift workers and 0.877 (SD = 0.054) for day workers, with a significant difference (p < 0.05). In the present Japanese population, three-shift workers had higher risks of CHD than day workers, which was characterized by higher levels of serum total cholesterol and tendency to central obesity. These findings held when lifestyle factors were taken into account.

Effects of immersion in tepid bath water on recovery from fatigue after submaximal exercise in man.

This study was conducted to determine whether bathing in tepid water is effective in facilitating recovery from fatigue after submaximal exercise. Subjects were six young healthy male university students. Following cycle exercise at 80% aerobic power (VO2 max) for 10 min, recovery was observed during and after 10-min bathing. Three conditions were set; (1) water temperature of 38 degrees C, (2) water temperature of 30 degrees C, and (3) no water in the bath tub (control). Measurements were heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature, rectal temperature, blood lactase and subjective feelings. There were no significant differences in heart rate and blood pressure between the three conditions at any time. Mean skin temperature and rectal temperature decreased more rapidly after the 30 degrees C bathing than the other two conditions (p < 0.05). Lactate removal was largest for the 30 degrees C bathing, with significant difference between the 30 degrees C bathing condition and the no bathing condition (p < 0.05). Recovery from fatigue was best for the 30 degrees C bathing and worst for the control in terms of subjective feeling. In summary, it was shown that immersion in 30 degrees C water after submaximal exercise resulted in a larger removal of lactate than recovery in air.

Popliteal venous aneurysm with pulmonary embolism.

A 29-year-old female was admitted to the hospital because of increasing exertional dyspnea, chest oppressive feeling and palpitation. Lung perfusion scan, pulmonary angiography, and venography of the lower extremities revealed multiple pulmonary embolism and a right popliteal venous aneurysm as the probable source of emboli. B-mode/Doppler echography and magnetic resonance imaging were useful for the preoperative evaluation. Following anticoagulant therapy and thrombolytic therapy using intravenous heparin and urokinase, respectively, the popliteal venous aneurysm was surgically excised; the walls contained organized thrombus. She delivered a baby without any complication 2 years after the surgery.

[The prevalence and significance of abnormal thyroid hormone metabolism in acute myocardial infarction].

In order to clarify the relationship between thyroid function and left ventricular function in acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 52 patients (63.3 +/- 11.0 years old) admitted to the coronary care unit within 24 hours after the onset were studied. Both FT3 and FT4 levels measured at 48-72 h after the onset (1.66 +/- 0.59 pg/ml, 1.02 +/- 0.37 ng/dl) were significantly lower than those on admission (2.99 +/- 0.76 pg/ml; p < 0.01, 1.14 +/- 0.25 ng/dl; p < 0.05) and controls (3.27 +/- 0.66 pg/ml; p < 0.01, 1.22 +/- 0.23 ng/dl; p < 0.05). The decline of these thyroid hormone levels correlated well with the severity of AMI (Killip's classification), hemodynamic deterioration and liver function (low levels of albumin and cholinesterase). Low thyroid hormone levels were also associated with the elevation of catecholamine and alpha-hANP levels on admission. Low cortisol and impaired renal function were recognized as factors which might prolong the condition of low thyroid hormones. Non-survivors showed significantly lower levels of FT3 and FT4 48 hours after onset, and a lower level of FT4 in aged patients was consistent with a poor prognosis. In conclusion, the measurement of thyroid hormones in AMI is important in evaluating the severity of the condition and waking a prognosis.