Japanese Journal of Hygiene最新文献

Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study of students was to analyze nutritional intake factors and their contribution to preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in youth.

Methods: This study was based on the results of the Eating Behavior and Health Awareness survey conducted among university, college, and vocational school students throughout the main island of Japan (1,256 valid responders).

Results: The results of the logistic regression analysis are given below. Variables with significant positive regression coefficients, in the order from higher to lower odds ratios, were as follows: "household living arrangement", "skipping breakfast", and "cooking techniques" were the variables shown in men; "household living arrangement", "instant food intake", "skipping breakfast", "eating out", "stages of change in healthy eating", were the variables shown in women. In contrast, the variable "body mass index (BMI)" exhibited a significant negative regression coefficient in women. Students with low BMI showed a higher probability of exhibiting high nutritional intake.

Conclusion: The variables "household living arrangement" and "skipping breakfast" may be associated with nutritional imbalance in both genders. Future prospective studies on diet and lifestyle factors are needed to clarify this issue further.

Recently, we have published a book containing evidence-based public health guidelines and a practical manual for the prevention of sick house syndrome. The manual is available through the homepage of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (http://www.mhlw.go.jp/file/06-Seisakujouhou-11130500-Shokuhinanzenbu/0000155147.pdf). It is an almost completely revised version of the 2009 version. The coauthors are 13 specialists in environmental epidemiology, exposure sciences, architecture, and risk communication. Since the 1970s, health problems caused by indoor chemicals, biological pollution, poor temperature control, humidity, and others in office buildings have been recognized as sick building syndrome (SBS) in Western countries, but in Japan it was not until the 1990s that people living in new or renovated homes started to describe a variety of nonspecific subjective symptoms such as eye, nose, and throat irritation, headache, and general fatigue. These symptoms resembled SBS and were designated "sick house syndrome (SHS)." To determine the strategy for prevention of SHS, we conducted a nationwide epidemiological study in six cities from 2003-2013 by randomly sampling 5,709 newly built houses. As a result 1,479 residents in 425 households agreed to environmental monitoring for indoor aldehydes and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). After adjustment for possible risk factors, some VOCs and formaldehyde were dose-dependently shown to be significant risk factors. We also studied the dampness of the houses, fungi, allergies, and others. This book is fully based on the scientific evidence collected through these studies and other newly obtained information, especially from the aspect of architectural engineering. In addition to SHS, we included chapters on recent information about "multi-chemical sensitivity."

In this paper, we describe the trends in research on adolescent sexuality education in Japan and other countries and on fertility awareness, as well as the possibility of life planning based on sex and reproductive health education. Mason-Jones AJ et al. reviewed the results of school-based intervention studies on the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus infection, sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy. There is little evidence supporting the idea that educational curriculum-based programs alone are effective in improving sex and reproductive health outcomes in adolescents. In another study, the effectiveness of school-based sexuality education for adolescents in Japan was evaluated. The Japan Medical Abstract Society was searched for articles published in the last 10 years. In many studies, the effects were compared before and after a single sexuality education lecture by professionals, such as doctors, midwives, and public health nurses. In Japan, effort has been directed toward sexuality education, but no systematic program based on behavior theory has been adopted. Therefore, sex education is insufficient. A third study clarified research on fertility awareness in adults and issues regarding improvements in related education and research. The Japan Medical Abstract Society and PubMed were searched for articles published in the last 10 years. The review suggested that awareness of female fertility is insufficient. Delaying childbearing based on inaccurate knowledge of the decline in female fertility could lead to unintended infertility. For males and females, sexual health education in schools and communities should include information on the age-related decline in female fertility. Although the determinants of the timing of childbearing are multifactorial, education on fertility issues is necessary to help adults make informed reproductive decisions based on accurate information. Finally, in this paper, we introduce examples of the pioneering efforts in sexual health education through collaboration between the governments of Oita and Okayama Prefectures and Oita and Okayama Universities.

The factors contributing to the declining birthrate in Japan include the declining marriage rate, an increase in the average age of those getting married, economic burden, childcare burden, later child-bearing, and infertility. There is a gender difference in role division, with 70% of unmarried people live with their parents and continue to work while leaving the household chores to their mothers. The loss of these housekeeping services and the increase in the number of irregular workers are factors contributing to the declining marriage rate and the increase in the average age of those getting married. The expansion of the family support policy in Japan from the male breadwinner model to the earner-career model may have been delayed, but it is expected to provide economic benefits as well as actual childcare service benefits in order to reduce the economic and physical burden of childcare for married couples. It is also necessary to provide education in reproductive health to both men and women in schools and workplaces regarding late child-bearing and infertility. Furthermore, it is necessary to evaluate the cost-effectiveness analysis of improvements in fertility and disclose the relevant information in addition to sharing information on medical technology related to pregnancy/childbirth and treatment of diseases. It is urgent to prepare society for natural and healthy pregnancies/childbirths during optimal child-bearing years.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to (1) determine the effects of age, period, and cohort on mortality rate trends between 1958 and 2012 in Japan and (2) assess gender differences in projected life expectancy (LE) for the 2023-2047 period.

Methods: A time trend study was conducted using age-period-cohort (APC) analysis. A Bayesian APC model was fitted to describe mortality rate trends for the 1958-2012 period and to project mortality rates for 2023-2047. LE was predicted by Chiang's method using projected mortality rates.

Results: Age, period, and cohort effects showed similar patterns between males and females. As time passes, gender differences in projected LE were larger among individuals over 65 years than among those under 65 years. Time series change rates of the extension of projected LE after excluding specific causes of death showed the following: smaller extension of projected LE in males in terms of mortality risk from malignant neoplasms, heart diseases, pneumonia, and accidents (under 65 years) and in females in terms of mortality risk from heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, and suicide (over 65 years).

Conclusions: Gender differences in projected LE are expected to be smaller before middle age and to be larger among seniors. These projected gender differences stem in part from the lower mortality risk among men than among women from malignant neoplasms, heart diseases, pneumonia, and accidents (under 65 years), and among women compared to men from heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and suicide (over 65 years).

Human biomonitoring (HBM) is a technique to evaluate chemical exposure level by measuring the levels of chemicals or related substances such as their metabolites or adducts in biological samples (e.g., urine or blood). Compared with exposure assessment by an approach to estimate insecticide intake from diet or the environment, HBM can provide information more specific to an individual exposure dose and can reflect the exact body burden condition at the time of measurement. If the analytical sensitivities, completeness and cost-effectiveness of the method are improved further, HBM might be widely applicable to not only research fields such as epidemiological and occupational study but also routine analysis for effective prevention of the exposure of the human body to chemical substances. In this article, we provide an overview of HBM as a determination method for insecticide exposure markers in urine and its applications, and discuss future research perspectives in the field of environmental and occupational health.

Mercury and its compounds are classified into three main groups: metallic mercury (Hg⁰), inorganic mercury (Hg²⁺), and organic mercury (methyl mercury: CH₃Hg⁺, etc.). Metallic mercury is the only metal that is liquid at ambient temperature and normal pressure, which readily forms an amalgam with other metals. Therefore, mercury has long been used for refining various metals, and mercury amalgam has been used for dental treatment. Mercury has also been used in measuring instruments such as thermometers, barometers and blood pressure monitors, as well as electric appliances such as lighting equipment and dry batteries. Large amounts of metallic mercury are still used in other countries as a catalyst in the production of caustic soda by electrolysis. In addition, mercury compounds have been used in various chemicals such as mercurochrome, agricultural chemicals, and mildew-proofing agents. However, the use of mercury has also caused health problems for people. Minamata disease in Japan is a typical example. Also, since mercury is highly volatile, it is discharged as a product of industrial activities or derived from volcanoes, and it has been concluded on the basis of the findings of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) that it is circulating globally. Therefore, with the aim of establishing an internationally legally binding treaty for the regulation of mercury use to reduce risk, an intergovernmental negotiating committee was established in 2009. Japan actively contributed to this negotiation owing to its experience with Minamata disease, which led to the Convention on the regulation of mercury use being discharged as the "Minamata Convention on Mercury" and the treaty came into force on August 16, 2017. In this review, we introduce 1) the Global Mercury Assessment by UNEP; 2) mercury kinetics, exposure assessment and toxicity of different chemical forms; 3) large-scale epidemics of methylmercury poisoning; 4) methylmercury exposure assessment and health survey in whale-eating populations; 5) elemental mercury exposure assessment and health survey of mercury mine workers in China.

The Renewable energy is a key driver of generating clean energy because it continuously lower air pollution. In particular, the development of wind power energy has been remarkable, and it currently accounts for approximately one-third of renewable electricity. Germany has the largest onshore wind deployment. On the other hand, the United Kingdom is most highly expected to develop offshore wind power. Germany and Denmark have assessed the usefulness of wind turbines, and they benefited from wind energy. Execution of not only environmental impact assessment (EIA) but also health impact assessment (HIA) is an obligation in the United Kingdom, the practice of EIA and HIA is important for the successful construction of wind turbine facilities. We in Japan should learn the method of handling renewable energy systems from major European countries.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to clarify the conditions of food consumption related to salt intake in women aged 40-59 years and to determine the characteristics of working mothers.

Methods: Among all guardians in a medical university, 247 (effective response rate, 32.2%) mothers of 40-59 years of age participated in this study.

Results: Factors related to salt intake were the frequency of consuming Japanese dishes (stewed foods, Japanese style rice, pickles, miso soup, noodles, vinegared dishes, marinated foods) and dietary habit (use of low-sodium seasoning when cooking, the amount of broth left unconsumed when eating noodle soup, the use of seasoning at the table). In comparison with the nonworking mothers, a greater number of the working mothers purchased smaller amount of fresh food and prepared meals for dinner in less than 30 minutes. Furthermore, the frequency of consuming Japanese dishes was also lower in the working mothers. This was not related to their state of mind or knowledge about salt consumption in relation to health and conscious effort to eat less salt, but rather to their longer work hours and shorter meal preparation time. Dietary habits are related to the state of mind, flavor, and knowledge and efforts to eat less salt. Working mothers, as well as nonworking mothers had dietary habits.

Conclusion: For women in this age group, to reduce salt consumption, adopting ways to eat less salt at the table, which are feasible for everyone, are effective.