Seiichiro Nanri

Prescribed exercise training improves exercise capacity of convalescent children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa (AN) has a complex pathogenesis resulting sometimes during childhood and adolescence in potential severe complications. Abnormal exercise capacity, which may result from long-term malnourishment and restriction of physical activities for many months, has been observed in the majority of such patients, ever after weight regain. It is widely believed that physical activities may improve exercise capacity and the emotional disorder. However, controversy exists about promoting or withholding exercise [4]. Previous studies reported that excessive exercise may play a role as a causal factor of AN and might be associated with a poor evolution [2, 3]. The use of exercise training as a treat

Temporal course of the development of obesity in Japanese school children: A cohort study based on the Keio Study

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate the temporal course of obesity development in Japanese school children by conducting a school-site cohort study over 12 years. METHODS From 1981 to 1984, height and weight of 479 subjects (343 boys and 136 girls) were measured every year from entrance into primary school until graduation from high school in Tokyo. Obese children were defined as those with a body mass index (BMI) at or above the age-sex-specific standard value, derived from Japanese nationwide data. RESULTS Approximately 50% of the children who were obese in the primary school period were obese at age 17. Likewise, 40% who were obese in the junior high school period and 70% who were obese in the high school period were obese at age 17. Among 44 children who were obese at age 17, 14 showed tracking of obesity from the preschool period, 14 showed tracking from ages 7 to 11 years, 10 showed tracking from the junior high school period, and 6 showed tracking from the high school period. CONCLUSIONS Among children who were obese at age 17, most tracked from the primary school age or earlier. The earlier the tracking commenced, the greater the BMI at age 17. This indicates the importance of conducting health education for school children at an early age.

Influenza Vaccination of Schoolchildren and Influenza Outbreaks in a School

BACKGROUND The objective of this retrospective descriptive study was to determine whether the universal influenza vaccination for schoolchildren was effective in controlling influenza outbreaks in a school. A universal vaccination program for schoolchildren was started in Japan in the 1960s, but the government abandoned the program in 1994 because of lack of evidence that the program was effective in preventing influenza in schoolchildren. METHODS Influenza vaccine coverage rates, total numbers of class cancellation days, and absentee rates were reviewed in a single elementary school during the 24-year period during 1984-2007. RESULTS The mean number of class cancellation days and the mean absentee rate in the compulsory vaccination period (1984-1987; mean vaccine coverage rate, 96.5%) were 1.3 days and 2.5%, respectively, and they increased to 8.3 days and 3.2% during the quasi-compulsory vaccination period (1988-1994; vaccine coverage, 66.4%). In the no-vaccination period (1995-1999; vaccine coverage, 2.4%), they were 20.5 days and 4.3%, respectively, and in the voluntary vaccination period (2000-2007; vaccine coverage, 38.9-78.6%), they were 7.0-9.3 days and 3.8%-3.9%. When minor epidemics were excluded, there was a significant inverse correlation between the vaccine coverage rates and both the number of class cancellation days and absentee rates. CONCLUSIONS The universal influenza vaccination for schoolchildren was effective in reducing the number of class cancellation days and absenteeism in the school.

Reliability of family history of lifestyle-related diseases on questionnaire.

Background:  Family history of lifestyle‐related diseases is an important risk factor and is widely used in epidemiologic studies. To justify its use the validity of the family history needs to be assessed. The aim of the present study was therefore to examine reliability, that is, consistency in repeated measurements, of the family history obtained on questionnaire.

Influences of mothers' dieting behaviors on their junior high school daughters.

We investigated the influences of mothers’ dieting behaviors on their junior high school daughters. We assessed dieting behaviors and eating habits in 221 pairs of mothers and their junior high school daughters using questionnaires. The subjects were classified into an extraordinary-diet (Ex-D) group, who attempted to diet rapidly with unhealthy methods, a structured-diet (St-D) group, who attempted to diet gradually with healthy methods, and a non-diet (N-D) group, using the questionnaire scores. 1) A significant correlation was observed in the distribution of dieting behavior groups between the mothers and their daughters. 2) The scores for dieting behavior of the mothers whose daughters were classified into the Ex-D group were significantly higher in several question items compared with those of the mothers whose daughters were classified into the N-D group. 3) The scores for eating consciousness of the mothers whose daughters were classified into the Ex-D group were significantly lower for the item “Cooking is a fun pastime” compared with those of the mothers whose daughters were classified into the St-D or N-D groups. 4) The number of experiences of conversation with daughters about diet for the mothers whose daughters were in the Ex-D group was significantly higher than that for the mothers whose daughters were classified into the N-D group. The mothers’ dieting behavior, eating consciousness, and number of conversations with daughters about diet influenced dieting behaviors in their junior high school daughters. Appropriate education of mothers would be useful to prevent their daughters’ inappropriate diet.

Characteristic lifestyles in 6-year-old children with obese parents: Results of the toyama birth cohort study.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify characteristic lifestyles in children with obese parents.Methods8,030 children (4,072 males and 3,958 females) aged 6 to 7 years were investigated. A questionnaire relating to the lifestyles of children was distributed through elementary schools for completion by parents. The heights and weights of parents were self-reported. A parent with a body mass index (weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) greater than the 90th percentile for gender (26.7 kg/m2 for fathers and 24.3 kg/m2 for mothers) was defined as an obese parent. A chi-square test for each trend was applied to evaluate an increasing trend in the frequency or level of each lifestyle in children with obese parents.ResultsChildren with obese parents were significantly associated with increasing trends in the proportions categorized by irregular intake of breakfast, faster eating, longer TV watching, and shorter sleeping hours.ConclusionsThese lifestyles are considered to be possible risk factors for the development of obesity. These characteristic lifestyles observed in children with obese parents could strengthen the relationship between child and parental body compositions, in addition to the genetic predisposition to obesity in children with obese parents. These findings indicate that education with lifestyle modification for obese parents will be required to prevent further weight gain in children with obese parents.

Hepatitis B virus markers in Japanese immigrants and their descendants in Bolivia and native Bolivians

SummaryA survey of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers of Japanese immigrants, their descendants and native Bolivians was performed in two agricultural settlements in Bolivia. The prevalence of HBV markers in sera, either hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or its antibody (HBsAb), was higher in the Japanese (46.4%) than in the native Bolivian (12.9%) adult generations of both colonies. There was no significant difference between Japanese (4.3%) and Bolivian (0.9%) school children in one colony, but a high percentage (32.6%) was recognized among Japanese children in the other colony. The numbers of adw subtypes were unexpectedly high among these HBsAg positive Japanese children, compared to those in Japan. Antibody to hepatitis delta virus (HDV) was detected in one case. These data suggested that although horizontal transmission of adw HBV had occurred within the Japanese population, HBV and HDV were not endemic to this geographic area.

Height-specific body mass index reference curves for Japanese children and adolescents 5−17 years of age

Abstract Background : Body mass index (BMI) reference values in consideration of height variation have not previously been reported. This study established height‐specific BMI reference curves for Japanese children and adolescents aged from 5 to 17 years.

Impaired Cardiorespiratory Response to Brief Sudden Strenuous Exercise in the Postoperative Tetralogy of Fallot Patients: A Ten-Second Pedaling Test

AbstractNo studies of cardiorespiratory response to brief, sudden, strenuous exercise in patients after tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair have been reported. We investigated the exercise capacity of TOF patients using a ten-second pedaling test designed to study cardiorespiratory responsiveness to brief, sudden, strenuous exercise. We assessed exercise capacity using a ten-second pedaling test (ten seconds maximal of voluntary cranking as fast as possible against an ergometers inertial resistance), coupled with a conventional ramp-type progressive exercise test at a constant rate to the limit of tolerance, in eight male postoperative TOF patients and eight male control subjects. In the ten-second pedaling test, there were no significant differences in the integrated areas of heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake () responses between the TOF patients and controls, but there were significantly longer decreasing phase time constants of HR and responses in the TOF patients than in the controls. In the conventional exercise test, the endurance time, peak-HR, and peak- did not differ between the groups. The TOF group, with a normal exercise capacity assessed by a conventional exercise test, had an impaired cardiorespiratory response to brief, sudden, strenuous exercise assessed by a ten-second pedaling test.