Haruko Takada

Eating habits, activity, lipids and body mass index in Japanese children : The Shiratori Children Study

OBJECTIVE: To describe the eating habits and physical activity of Japanese children aged 10 y, and to investigate their relationship to lipids and body mass index (BMI); also to study the relationship between BMI and lipids in these children.DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at six schools in Shiratori, Japan during 1992–1994. Physical examinations and questionnaires were used to collect data from 457 fifth grade children, aged 10 y.RESULTS: The diet of these children was mixed, with Japanese and Western foods almost equally reported. Boys were more active than girls. More active children had higher high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and children who ate a more Japanese diet had slightly lower HDL-C. BMI was positively related to cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides and inversely related to HDL-C. The amount of rice intake was positively associated with the BMI of these children.CONCLUSION: In our study of Japanese children aged 10 y, their diets were fairly Westernized, and most children were fairly inactive based on our activity score. Although obesity is low in these young Japanese subjects (14.1%), children who were obese (BMI>20) had worse lipid profiles than those who were not obese. An exceptionally high rice intake was associated with obesity, and thus may be an early warning sign for future obesity.

Significance of the atherosclerogenic index and body fat in children as markers for future, potential coronary heart disease

Abstract Background: The purpose of this study is to establish a simple marker in children for future, potential risks of coronary heart disease.

Response of parathyroid hormone to anaerobic exercise in adolescent female athletes.

It has been shown that moderate exercise suppresses parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion, while strenuous exercise is apt to induce continuous secretion, which has a negative effect on bone mineral densities (BMD). The present study investigated a typical response of PTH to brief exercise. The study group comprised six adolescent female basketball players whose BMD were within normal limits. Maximal anaerobic power by three‐step cycling was loaded on each subject. The first blood sample was drawn 30 min prior to testing test, the second was immediately following, the third was 15 min after, and the fourth was 30 min after. The proportional change in plasma volume was ‐11.5% immediately following (P < 0.05), + 2.1% 15 min after, and + 5.5% at 30 min after exercise (P< < 0.05). The expected value was calculated on the assumption of no effect, except changes in plasma volume, by exercise. The measured values of PTH and calcium (Ca) immediately after exercise were lower than each of the expected values (P < 0.05 for both). At 15 min after, there was no significant difference between expected and measured values of PTH, Ca and magnesium (Mg), respectively. At 30 min after, the measured value of Ca and Mg was higher than each expected value (P < 0.05 for both). It was concluded that PTH secretion is suppressed transiently immediately after maximal anaerobic exercise and is then stimulated during the recovery time in normal BMD subjects.

Obesity and Cholesterol in Japanese, French, and U.S. Children☆☆

The number of children at risk for overweight/obesity has increased dramatically in the last decade worldwide. This study compares measures of obesity (body mass index [BMI] and body fat percentage) and total cholesterol in 4,013 fourth-grade students from three countries, France, Japan, and the United States. Data were analyzed using t test, chi-square, and analysis of variance to determine differences between groups and by multiple linear regression. All variables differed significantly by group. BMI was highest in U.S. children. Body fat percentage was also highest in U.S. children and lowest in French children. Total cholesterol was highest in French children and lowest in U.S. White children. There were modest but significant associations between BMI and cholesterol in all groups except French children; associations varied by gender. Results indicate there was great variation in measures of obesity and cholesterol by country. The association between obesity and cholesterol may vary by culture, ethnicity, and gender.

Sudden death in school children: role of physical activities and meteorological conditions.

Abstract Background: This current study is aimed at investigating the effect of physical activities and meteorological conditions on the sudden deaths of children without obvious causes at school.

Effects of exercise for 1 month on serum lipids in adolescent females

Abstract Background: The present study was done to clarify the effects of 1 month of exercise on levels of total cholesterol (TC) and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and on the ratio TC/HDLC and also to evaluate the relationship of body fat to amount of exercise and TC/HDLC ratio.

Response of parathyroid hormone to exercise and bone mineral density in adolescent female athletes

BackgroundThis study investigates 1) the effects of amount of exercise on levels of serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcium, and 2) the relationship between PTH response and bone mineral density in adolescent female athletes.SubjectsTwenty-one female athletes on a top-ranked high school basketball team in Japan participated in a one-month intensive basketball program. Subjects were divided into moderate-exercise and strenuous-exercise groups.MethodsThe amount of exercise was quantified using estimated metabolic equivalent (METs) and exercise hours. Levels of serum intact-PTH and calcium were examined five times: twice before training to establish a baseline (T-1 and T0), once 3rd week of the training period (T1, once immediately at the end of the program (T2), and again one week later3). Bone mineral density of forearm (distal-BMD) was measured one week after the end of the program. PTH levels at T1, T2 and3 were regressed on PTH at baseline (T0) for both groups and examined for statistical significance. Multiple regression analyses of the changes of PTH and distal-BMD were conducted.Results1) Strenuous-exercise subjects showed both increased and decreased PTH levels, while moderate-exercise subjects showed a uniform decrease in PTH throughout the exercise period. 2) Increased PTH was an independent negative predictor of distal-BMD, while high lean body mass, increased serum Ca, and exercise volume were positive predictors.ConclusionThe amount of exercise affects PTH response: moderate exercise suppresses PTH secretion, while strenuous exercise is apt to induce continuous secretion, which has a negative effect on BMD.

The accelerated increase in lean body mass of pre-pubescent Japanese boys at 10 to 11 years of age.

The present study investigated changes in body composition in relation to growth to evaluate at what age Japanese children begin their pre-pubescent growth spurt. Children aged 9 were followed to age 10 (The age 9 group), and those aged 10 were followed to age 11 (The age 10 group). The increase in lean body mass per one-year increment of body height (Δ LBM/ ΔBH) in the age 10 boys group was significantly higher than that in the age 9 boys group. In both the age 9 and 10 boys groups, the high Body Mass Index (BMI) boys showed greater mean ΔLBM/ ΔBH than that for the normal BMI boys. Our results of accelerated Δ LBM/ ΔBH from age 10 to 11 in Japanese boys hypothesize that an increase in LBM demonstrates pre-pubescent growth.

Glial reaction linked with P70-induced seizure activity in the cerebral cortex of rats

An anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) antibody was used to study the glial reaction linked to P70-induced seizure activity in the rat cerebral cortex. GFAP-immunoreactivity was restricted to astrocytes within the epileptogenic cortex showing epileptogenic discharges on the electrocorticogram (ECoG) on intracortical application of P70, and the number of GFAP-positive cells increased with the duration of seizure activity. However, the induction of these astrocytes was suppressed by the anticonvulsants, phenytoin (PHT) or phenobarbital (PB). The data suggest that P70-induced seizure activity elicits the generation of fibrous astrocytes in the cerebral cortex.