Masami Nojiri

Relationship of dietary intake of fish and non-fish selenium to serum lipids in Japanese rural coastal community

Several studies have suggested that dietary selenium deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). In the present study, 55 men and 71 women were selected from participants in a health examination in a rural coastal community in Japan. The mean dietary selenium intake calculated from the simple food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) was 127.5 micrograms/day. Fish was the major source of dietary selenium and it contributed to 68.7% of the daily total. HDL cholesterol was higher in the middle selenium intake group and in the high selenium intake group than in the low selenium intake group in all subjects and for males, and a significant difference was found between the middle selenium intake group and the low selenium intake group. The atherogenic index was significantly higher in the low selenium intake group than in the middle selenium intake group and in the high selenium intake group in males. GPx activity, total cholesterol and triacylglycerols did not show any significant differences among the three different selenium intake groups. Dietary intake of non-fish Se had a positive correlation with HDL cholesterol, and an inverse correlation with the atherogenic index in all subjects and for females. On the other hand, dietary intake of fish-Se had no relationship with any serum lipids. Non-fish Se is an important factor in selenium status for the prevention of CHD.

Vasomotor and Other Menopausal Symptoms Influenced by Menopausal Stage and Psychosocial Factors in Japanese Middle-Aged Women

Vasomotor and Other Menopausal Symptoms Influenced by Menopausal Stage and Psychosocial Factors in Japanese Middle‐Aged Women: Kuninori Shiwaku, et al. Department of Environmental Medicine, Shimane Medical University—The relationship among menopausal symptoms, the menopausal stage and psychosocial factors in climacteric of Japanese women was investigated. Information on menopausal symptoms, the menstrual cycle and psychosocial factors were collected by means of a self‐reported questionnaire in six rural communities. A general population sample of 2,886 women (recovery rate of 75%) aged 40 to 69 yr completed a report on seventeen self‐reported health symptoms over the preceding 12 months. The most bothersome complaints were aching/painful joints, weakness and headache that were reported by approximately half the population aged 40 to 69 yr, but less than 4% of the women were affected severely. One‐third of the women were bothered by night sweats, cold hands and feet, nervousness and anxiety. Approximately one in five of the women complained of hot flushes, numbness, early waking, and sleeplessness. Four factors emerged from a factor analysis: general somatic symptoms, psychological symptoms, vasomotor symptoms and aging symptoms. Hot flushes, night sweats, numbness, early waking and sleeplessness were significantly higher in the perimenopausal and postmenopausal periods than in the premenopausal period of women aged 45 to 54 yr. The menopausal stages were significantly related to the vasomotor symptoms, but had little relationship to the other menopausal symptoms, in a logistic regression model. Japanese women characteristically have a lower incidence of vasomotor and other menopausal symptoms, and a lower utilization of medical treatment for menopausal symptoms. Vasomotor symptoms were clearly associated with menopause, but other menopausal symptoms in Japanese middle‐aged women related to self‐rated health, social support and occupation.

Studies on Health Promotion of Residents. Correlation between Life Events and Lifestyle.

健康的なライフスタイルを悪化させる出来事を明らかにするために地域住民を対象に健康習慣の総体であるライフスタイルに及ぼす生活上の出来事の影響力を比較検討した。多変量解析の結果, 以下のことが明らかになった。1. ライフスタイルと有意な関連が認められた出来事は夫婦喧嘩, 夫婦別居, 借金, 帰省, 親友の死, 浮気, 収入の変化, 会社の倒産等であった。健康なライフスタイルにする出来事は浮気, 解雇, 帰省などであった。一方, 不健康なライフスタイルにする出来事は夫婦別居, 夫婦喧嘩, 会社の倒産などであった。2. 性別にみると男性でライフスタイルと有意な関連が認められた出来事は帰省, 収入の減少, 夫婦喧嘩, 結婚, 親友の死, 浮気, 解雇, 借金であった。健康なライフスタイルにする出来事は解雇, 帰省, 浮気, 妊娠などで, 不健康なライフスタイルにする出来事は夫婦別居, 夫婦喧嘩などであった。一方, 女性でライフスタイルと有意な関連が認められた出来事は結婚, 個人的な成功であった。健康なライフスタイルにする出来事は個人的な成功, 離婚, 退職などで, 不健康なライフスタイルにする出来事は会社の倒産等, 配偶者の死, 夫婦喧嘩などであった。