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ABSTRACT: The control of blood pressure (BP) is important in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a dietary educational program for free-living, high-normal, and stage 1 or 2 hypertensive men. The participants were volunteers aged 40-75 years who agreed to the intervention. They were divided into two groups: 39 men for the intervention group and 32 men for the control group. BP, urinary sodium and potassium excretion, dietary and lifestyle data, and nonfasting venous blood sample were collected at baseline and after the intervention period. The intervention was designed to decrease sodium level with an emphasis on a decrease in the consumption of salted foods and to increase potassium level with an emphasis on an increase in the consumption of fruit and vegetables through cooking instructions and self-monitoring of the diet. At the baseline, there were no significant differences observed between the groups, except the diastolic BP. In the intervention group, a greater decrease in the urinary sodium-to-potassium excretion ratio was observed, compared with the control group (net difference 0.6, P = .029). The systolic and diastolic BP (mm Hg) decreased in the intervention group (149.0-143.0, P = .073; 93.0-87.0, P = .002), but no changes were observed in the control group (145.0-143.0, P = .231; 84.9-85.3, P = .381). In the intervention group, the urinary sodium-to-potassium excretion ratio was significantly improved by focusing on cooking instructions and self-monitoring of the diet.
Clinical and Experimental Hypertension 07/2012; · 1.07 Impact Factor
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Kiyomi Harada,
Sayuki Torii,
Ayako Saruwatari,
Yurika Tanaka,
Kaori Kitaoka,
Junpei Takaaki,
Wataru Aoi,
Sayori Wada,
Takayoshi Ohkubo,
Katsuyuki Miura,
Yoshiyuki Watanabe,
Akane Higashi
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ABSTRACT: Low birth weight has been associated with cardiovascular diseases. The waist-to-height ratio is a good indicator of risks for these diseases. The objective of this study was to examine the associations between birth weight and adult waist-to-height ratio in a Japanese population. A cross-sectional study, comprised of 851 subjects (401 men and 450 women) aged 35-62 years who were born at full term, was conducted at a medical checkup. The subjects responded to a questionnaire about weight at birth, and data on physical characteristics were collected from the results of the medical checkup. The subjects were stratified with sex and a Body Mass Index of 25 kg/m(2) to elucidate the effects of birth weight on adult waist-to-height ratio. Analysis of covariance was used to compare the physical condition among the 4 birth weight categories. After adjusting for age, alcohol consumption, smoking status and exercise, the height was significantly lower in the birth weight < 2,500 g category among men (P < 0.001) and women (P < 0.001), while the waist-to-height ratio was significantly higher in the birth weight < 2,500 g category, compared with the > 3,500 g category in the non-obese women (P = 0.004), but not in the obese women. In conclusion, low birth weight was independently associated with a low adult height among men and women and with a high adult waist-to-height ratio among non-obese women. Our results suggest that intrauterine environmental insults might lead to accumulation of visceral fat among non-obese women.
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine 01/2012; 228(3):205-14. · 1.24 Impact Factor
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Yukiko Okami,
Takako Kato,
Gyozen Nin, Kiyomi Harada,
Wataru Aoi,
Sayori Wada,
Akane Higashi,
Yusuke Okuyama,
Susumu Takakuwa,
Hiroshi Ichikawa,
Motoyori Kanazawa,
Shin Fukudo
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ABSTRACT: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder comprising abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, and disordered defecation. The prevalence of IBS is 10-15% in the general population. This study investigated the prevalence of IBS and the relationship between IBS and stress, lifestyle, and dietary habits among nursing and medical school students.
A blank self-administrated questionnaire was used to survey 2,639 students studying nursing or medicine. This questionnaire asked about IBS symptoms, lifestyle, dietary intake, life events, anxiety, and depression. The questionnaires were collected from 2,365 students (89.6%) and the responses of 1,768 students (74.8%) were analyzed.
The prevalence of IBS was 35.5% as a whole, 25.2% in males and 41.5% in females. Significantly higher stress scores (anxiety and depression) and life events were found in the IBS group than in the non-IBS group. Sleep disorders and the time spent sitting were also higher in males with IBS. In the IBS group, females ate less fish, fruit, milk, and green-yellow vegetables, and more processed food products than the non-IBS group (p = 0.001, p = 0.002, p = 0.032, p = 0.037, p < 0.001). The rates of missed meals and irregular mealtimes were significantly higher in females in the IBS group (p = 0.001, p = 0.013).
The prevalence of IBS was higher among nursing and medical students, and further interventional studies are needed to improve IBS symptoms.
Journal of Gastroenterology 08/2011; 46(12):1403-10. · 4.16 Impact Factor
