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en: Longitudinal associations between dietary diversity and serum lipid markers in Japanese workers.

en: The aim of this study was to determine the longitudinal associations between dietary diversity score and serum lipid markers in a five-year follow-up period in Japanese workers. This study included 745 participants aged 20-60 years in 2012-2013 without dyslipidemia at baseline who participated at least once from 2013 to 2017. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and dietary diversity score was determined using the Quantitative Index for Dietary Diversity. Principal component analysis was used to determine three dietary patterns: healthy, western, and sweetener. Lipid markers including total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and non-HDL-cholesterol were measured. Generalized estimating equations were used for calculating the cumulative mean of lipid profiles in the follow-up period according to the dietary diversity score at baseline with control of confounding factors. Higher dietary diversity score was inversely associated with serum concentrations of LDL cholesterol (p for trend = 0.028), triglycerides (p for trend = 0.029), and non-HDL cholesterol (p for trend = 0.026) in women. The associations except for the association with serum triglycerides were robust after additional adjustment for three dietary patterns (healthy, western, and sweetener). The association with serum triglycerides disappeared after additional adjustment for a healthy pattern. There was no significant association between dietary diversity and dyslipidemia in men in the follow-up period. This study suggests that dietary diversity is beneficial for lipid profiles in Japanese female workers.

en: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

ja: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition


en: Associations between dietary diversity and high sensitive C-reactive protein among Japanese workers: findings of a cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

en: These findings suggest that, in male Japanese workers, higher dietary diversity might be important for maintaining a low inflammatory status.

ja: In the cross-sectional analysis, the hs-CRP concentration in male participants was significantly lower in those who had a high QUANTIDD score (adjusted mean [95% CI]: 0.074 [0.009-0.140] mg/dL in the lower group vs. 0.038 [-0.029-0.105] mg/dL in the higher group, p-value = 0.034). In the longitudinal analysis, the hs-CRP concentration of male participants also tended to be lower in those with higher QUANTIDD scores (p-value = 0.103). In both the cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses in women, there was no significant difference between the lower and higher QUANTIDD score groups.

en: European Journal of Nutrition

ja: European Journal of Nutrition


en: Associations between dietary diversity and dyslipidemia among Japanese workers: cross-sectional study and longitudinal study findings.

en: The results of cross-sectional analysis in this study suggest that the higher diversity of diet might reduce the presence of dyslipidemia in men and the results of longitudinal analysis suggest that a moderate DDS might reduce the risk of dyslipidemia in women. Further studies are needed since the results of cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses in this study were inconsistent.

ja: Cross-sectional analysis showed that the highest DDS reduced the odds of dyslipidemia in men (OR [95% CI] in Tertile 3: 0.67 [0.48-0.95], p value = 0.023). In longitudinal analysis, a moderate DDS reduced the risk of dyslipidemia (OR [95% CI] in Tertile 2: 0.21 [0.07-0.60], p value = 0.003) in women.


en: Development of fully automated and ultrasensitive assays for urinary adiponectin and their application as novel biomarkers for diabetic kidney disease.

en: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) are used to diagnose and classify the severity of chronic kidney disease. Total adiponectin (T-AN) and high molecular weight adiponectin (H-AN) assays were developed using the fully automated immunoassay system, HI-1000 and their significance over conventional biomarkers were investigated. The T-AN and H-AN assays had high reproducibility, good linearity, and sufficient sensitivity to detect trace amounts of adiponectin in the urine. Urine samples after gel filtration were analyzed for the presence of different molecular isoforms. Low molecular weight (LMW) forms and monomers were the major components (93%) of adiponectin in the urine from a diabetic patient with normoalbuminuria. Urine from a microalbuminuria patient contained both high molecular weight (HMW) (11%) and middle molecular weight (MMW) (28%) adiponectin, although the LMW level was still high (52%). The amount of HMW (32%) and MMW (42%) were more abundant than that of LMW (24%) in a diabetic patient with macroalbuminuria. T-AN (r = - 0.43) and H-AN (r = - 0.38) levels showed higher correlation with estimated GFR (eGFR) than UAER (r = - 0.23). Urinary levels of both T-AN and H-AN negatively correlated with renal function in diabetic patients and they may serve as new biomarkers for diabetic kidney disease.

en: Scientific Reports

ja: Scientific Reports


en: Dietary diversity and characteristics of lifestyle and awareness of health in Japanese workers: a cross-sectional study.

en: The aim of this study was to clarify the characteristics of lifestyle and health awareness according to dietary diversity in a Japanese worksite population. The participants were 1,312 men and women aged 20 to 63 years who were living in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan during the period 2012-2013. We obtained anthropometric data and information on lifestyle characteristics using a self-administered questionnaire. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and dietary diversity was determined using the Quantitative Index for Dietary Diversity (QUANTIDD). The characteristics of lifestyle and health awareness according to quartiles of the QUANTIDD score were assessed using the chi-square test and a general linear model. The higher the QUANTIDD score was, the larger were the proportions of participants who knew the appropriate amount of dietary intake and participants who referred to nutritional component information when choosing and / or buying food. Among participants with higher QUANTIDD scores, the proportion of participants who considered their current diet was good was high in women, whereas the proportion of participants who wanted to improve their diet in the future was high in men. Those results indicate that higher dietary diversity was related to better characteristics of lifestyle and awareness of health. J. Med. Invest. 67 : 255-264, August, 2020.

en: The Journal of Medical Investigation : JMI


en: Associations of dietary diversity with allergic diseases in Japanese workers: a cross-sectional study.

en: The aim of this study was to determine the associations of dietary diversity with prevalences of allergic diseases. The participants were 1,317 men and women aged 20 to 63 years who were living in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan during the period 2012-2013. We obtained anthropometric data and information on lifestyle characteristics and current medical histories of allergic diseases using a self-administered questionnaire. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and dietary diversity was determined using the Quantitative Index for Dietary Diversity (QUANTIDD). The ORs and 95% CIs for each of the allergic diseases with a 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in the QUANTIDD score were estimated, controlling for age, family history of allergic diseases, education, smoking, drinking, physical activity, energy intake and BMI. Higher dietary diversity showed significant inverse dose-response relationships with allergic diseases and allergic rhinitis in women. Multivariate-adjusted ORs (95% CI) for allergic diseases and allergic rhinitis with 1 SD increase in the QUANTIDD score were 0.77 (95% CI: 0.60-0.98, p=0.037) and 0.69 (95% CI: 0.53-0.90, p=0.007), respectively, in women. There were no significant associations between dietary diversity and allergic diseases in men. The results indicate that there is an inverse association between higher dietary diversity and allergic rhinitis in Japanese female workers.

en: Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition


en: Soy product and isoflavone intake associations with allergic diseases in Japanese workers: rhinitis, dermatitis and asthma.

en: The aim of this study was to determine the associations of intake of soy products and isoflavones with allergic diseases. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 1437 participants (aged 20-64 years) who were living in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan during the period 2010- 2011. We obtained anthropometric data and information on life style characteristics including dietary intake and current medical histories of allergic diseases using a structural self-administered questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of soy products and isoflavones with allergic diseases after controlling for age, family history of allergic diseases, smoking, drinking, physical activity, energy intake, BMI and dietary factors. Intake of soy products showed significant inverse dose-response relationships with allergic rhinitis. The third quartile for soy products had an adjusted OR of 0.56 (95% CI: 0.35-0.91) compared to the reference group (first quartile), though intake of soy products showed no dose-response relationship with atopic dermatitis. Intake of soy isoflavones showed a significant inverse dose-response relationship with atopic dermatitis, though the association between intake of soy isoflavones and atopic dermatitis was U-shaped after adjustments for potential confounders. On the other hand, the associations between intake of soy isoflavones and other allergic diseases were not significant. The results indicate that higher intake of soy products is associated with reduced risk of allergic rhinitis in Japanese workers. Furthermore, moderate intake amounts of soy products and soy isoflavones are associated with inverse risk of atopic dermatitis.

ja: Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition


en: Associations between intake of dietary fermented soy food and concentrations of inflammatory markers: a cross-sectional study in Japanese workers

en: Epidemiological investigations have shown that consumption of soybeans or soy foods reduces the risk of the development of cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to determine the associations between different soy foods and inflammatory markers, including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-18, in Japanese workers. The cross-sectional study included 1,426 Japanese workers (1,053 men and 373 women) aged 20 to 64 years. Intake of 12 soy foods was estimated by a validated food frequency questionnaire. Associations of total soy foods, fermented soy food, non-fermented soy food, soy isoflavone with hs-CRP, IL-6, and IL-18 levels were examined by general linear model regression analysis. We found that total fermented soy food intake was inversely associated with multivariable-adjusted geometric concentration of IL-6 in men (Q1:1.03 pg/mL, Q5:0.94 pg /mL;P for trend = 0.031). Furthermore, it was shown that IL-6 concentrations were inversely associated with miso intake (β = -0.068;p = 0.034) and soy sauce intake in men (β = -0.074;p = 0.018). This study suggests that intake of total fermented soy food, miso and soy sauce be associated with IL-6 concentrations in Japanese men. J. Med. Invest. 65:74-80, February, 2018.

ja: The Journal of Medical Investigation : JMI


en: Palmitate-stimulated monocytes induce adhesion molecule expression in endothelial cells via IL-1 signaling pathway.

en: Increased intake of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), such as palmitate (Pal), is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Although recent studies have investigated the direct effects of SFAs on inflammatory responses in vascular endothelial cells, it remains unknown whether SFAs also induce these responses mediated by circulating cells. In this study, especially focused on adhesion molecules and monocytes, we investigated the indirect effects of Pal on expression and release of ICAM-1 and E-selectin in vascular endothelial cells. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-treated THP-1 (pTHP-1) cells and human monocytes were stimulated with various free fatty acids (FFAs). SFAs, but not unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), increased interleukin (IL)-1 secretion and decreased IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) secretion, resulting in an increase in the IL-1/IL-1Ra secretion ratio. UFAs dose-dependently inhibited the increase in IL-1 secretion and decrease in IL-1Ra secretion induced by Pal. Moreover, in human aortic and vein endothelial cells, expression and release of ICAM-1 and E-selectin were induced by treatment with conditioned medium collected from Pal-stimulated pTHP-1 cells and human monocytes, but not by Pal itself. The up-regulated expression and release of adhesion molecules by the conditioned medium were mostly abolished by recombinant human IL-1Ra supplementation. These results suggest that the Pal-induced increase in the ratio of IL-1/IL-1Ra secretion in monocytes up-regulates endothelial adhesion molecules, which could enhance leukocyte adhesion to endothelium. This study provides further evidence that IL-1 neutralization through receptor antagonism may be useful for preventing the onset and development of cardiovascular disease. J. Cell. Physiol. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

en: Journal of Cellular Physiology

ja: Journal of Cellular Physiology


en: Cut-off value of total adiponectin for managing risk of developing metabolic syndrome in male Japanese workers.

en: To determine the optimal cut-off value of serum total adiponectin for managing the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS) in male Japanese workers. A total of 365 subjects without MetS aged 20-60 years were followed up prospectively for a mean of 3.1 years. The accelerated failure-time model was used to estimate time ratio (TR) and cut-off value for developing MetS. During follow-up, 45 subjects developed MetS. Age-adjusted TR significantly declined with decreasing total adiponectin level (≤ 4.9, 5.0-6.6, 6.7-8.8 and ≥ 8.9 μg/ml, P for trend = 0.003). In multivariate analyses, TR of MetS was 0.12 (95% CI 0.02-0.78; P = 0.03) in subjects with total adiponectin level of 5.0-6.6 μg/ml, and 0.15 (95% CI 0.02-0.97; P = 0.047) in subjects with total adiponectin level ≤ 4.9 μg/ml compared with those with total adiponectin level ≥ 8.9 μg/ml. The accelerated failure-time model showed that the optimal cut-off value of total adiponectin for managing the risk of developing MetS was 6.2 μg/ml. In the multivariate-adjusted model, the mean time to the development of MetS was 78% shorter for total adiponectin level ≤ 6.2 μg/ml compared with > 6.2 μg/ml (TR 0.22, 95% CI: 0.08-0.64, P = 0.005). Our findings suggest that the cut-off value for managing the risk of developing MetS is 6.2 μg/ml in male Japanese workers. Subjects with total adiponectin level ≤ 6.2 μg/ml developed MetS more rapidly than did those with total adiponectin level > 6.2 μg/ml.

en: PLoS ONE

ja: PLoS ONE


en: Magnesium intake decreases Type 2 diabetes risk through the improvement of insulin resistance and inflammation: the Hisayama Study

en: Early studies have shown that magnesium intake decreases the risk of Type 2 diabetes, but the results are still inconsistent. We prospectively examined the association between magnesium intake and incidence of Type 2 diabetes in a general Japanese population. A total of 1999 subjects without diabetes aged 40-79 years who underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test were followed up prospectively for a mean of 15.6 years. During the follow-up, 417 subjects developed Type 2 diabetes. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence of Type 2 diabetes significantly decreased with increasing magnesium intake quartile levels (≤ 148.5, 148.6-171.5, 171.6-195.5 and ≥ 195.6 mg/day, P for trend = 0.01). In multivariate analyses, after adjusting for comprehensive risk factors and other dietary factors, the hazard ratio of Type 2 diabetes was 0.67 (95% CI 0.49-0.92; P = 0.01) in the third quartile and 0.63 (95% CI 0.44-0.90; P = 0.01) in the highest quartile compared with the first quartile. In addition, the risk of Type 2 diabetes was 14% lower (P = 0.04) for a 1-sd increment of log-transformed magnesium intake in the multivariate-adjusted model. In stratified analysis, there were statistically significant interactions between magnesium intake and levels of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein or alcohol intake on the risk of Type 2 diabetes (all P < 0.05). Our findings suggest that increased magnesium intake was a significant protective factor for the incidence of Type 2 diabetes in the general Japanese population, especially among subjects with insulin resistance, low-grade inflammation and a drinking habit.

en: Diabetic Medicine

ja: Diabetic Medicine


en: Period between Dinner and Bedtime Is Related to Hypertension

ja: 勤労者の夕食終了から就寝時間までの間隔と健康状態との関係

en: The aim of this study was to examine the association between the period between dinner and bedtime, and various adult lifestyle-related diseases in the workplace. We analyzed 470 men and 252 women aged 20-65 years who had been enrolled in baseline surveys conducted for the Tokushima Diabetes Cohort Study in a workplace setting in Tokushima prefecture. Multiple logistic regression models were used for analyzing the association of the time between dinner and bedtime and the prevalence rates of adult lifestyle-related diseases. The period between dinner and bedtime tended to show an inverse dose-response relationship with hypertension (p for trend = 0.04) after adjustment for age, sex and other potential confounders. The group with the longest period between dinner and bedtime had an adjusted odds ratio of 0.38 (95% confidence interval 0.17-0.82) compared to the reference group (first quartile group) . Additionally, the period between dinner and bedtime showed an inverse dose-response relationship with hypertension for subjects who ate dinner after 21:00 (p for trend = 0.02) . These results indicate that the period between dinner and bedtime is inversely associated with the prevalence of hypertension.

ja: 近年, 生活習慣病や精神疾患などを抱える勤労者が増加している．一方, 朝食欠食, 過食, 身体活動の不足, 短時間睡眠など, 生活習慣の乱れが疾病の発症に関連することが報告されている．我々は, 徳島県勤労者において, 夕食終了から就寝までの間隔と生活習慣病の有病状況との関係について横断研究を行った．20歳以上の勤労者735名を対象に, 食物摂取頻度調査, 生活に関する質問票調査, 採血, 身体計測を実施した．夕食終了から就寝までの間隔が2時間未満の対象者を対照群とし, ロジスティック回帰分析を用いて解析を行った．高血圧に関して, 対照群に比し3-4時間, 4時間以上の群で, 有意に調整オッズ比が低下した．さらに21時以降の食事摂取者で, 高血圧の調整オッズ比は3-4時間空ける群で有意に低下し, 量反応性の関係が認められた．これらのことより, 夕食終了から就寝までの間隔を空けることが, 高血圧の予防につながる可能性が示唆された．

en: Journal of Japanese Society of Nutrition and Food Science

ja: 日本栄養・食糧学会誌


en: Does food intake and life style relate to the prevalence of allergic disease?

ja: 食物摂取および生活習慣とアレルギー疾患との関連について

en: Journal of rehabilitation and health science


en: The density of extracellular matrix proteins regulates inflammation and insulin signaling in adipocytes.

en: Cells can not only sense the type of extracellular matrix (ECM) protein that is present in the microenvironment, but they can also sense its density. Here, we investigated the effects of ECM protein density on adipokine secretion and insulin signaling in adipocytes. To this end, 3T3-L1 adipocytes were cultured on the surface of polyacrylamide gels that were coated with gradient densities of a collagen type I and fibronectin mixture. We found that high density ECM causes a decrease in insulin signaling and adiponectin secretion, whereas the secretion of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was increased via the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). These results indicate that the density of the ECM directly regulates the inflammatory response and insulin sensitivity of adipocytes.

en: FEBS Letters

ja: FEBS Letters


en: 日本人勤労者の大豆製品摂取行動がメタボリック症候群発症に与える影響の検証

ja: 日本人勤労者の大豆製品摂取行動がメタボリック症候群発症に与える影響の検証

en: Soy Protein Research, Japan

ja: 大豆たん白質研究