Fifteen female caddies, aged 40 to 57 yrs, were studied to estimate the effect of mild walk habit on body composition, blood pressure and serum lipids. The subjects had 12 wk of walk habit which consists of 20 to 45% of maximal aerobic power in intensity, 7 to 8 km⋅d^-1in duration and 5 to 6 d⋅wk^-1 in frequency. Significant (P<0.01) reductions in body weight (-2.9 kg), fat-tissue weight (-4.2 kg), and percent body fat (-6.1%) were found after 12 wk of walk habit. This walk habit also significantly decreased systolic (-15 mmHg), diastolic (-6 mmHg) and mean (-11 mmHg) blood pressure at rest (P <0.01, P <0.05 and P <0.01, respectively) . In serum lipids, there were significant (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) reductions in total cholesterol (TC), high-density (HDL-C) and low-density (LDL-C) lipoprotein cholesterol with no significant change in triglycerides. As a result, the ratio of TC to HDL-C and HDL-C to LDL-C showed no significant change by this walk habit. We conclude that 12 wk of mild walk habit results in the beneficial effect on the improvement of body composition and blood pressure.

Gender differences were measured in the amount of intramyocellular triglyceride (IMCL) and extramyocellular triglyceride (EMCL) in skeletal muscles using¹H-MR spectroscopy and their relation to body fat and peak VO₂was studied. Fourteen apparently healthy subjects were separated into groups by gender. Both the male and female group subjects were selected according to similar ages and BMI (male: n=7, BMI=20.5±0.6 kg/m², age=21.1±0.7 years, female: n=7, BMI=20.6±0.5 kg/m², age=18.7±0.3 years) . We found a significant correlation between IMCL and EMCL in the soleus (SQL: p<0.01) and medial gastrocnemius (MG: p<0.01) muscles. IMCL values in SQL were significantly higher than IMCL values in MG and tibialis anterior muscle (TA) in both males and females in the order of SQL>MG>TA (p<0.01) .
IMCL and EMCL values in MG and SQL among females were significantly higher (p<0.01) than their corresponding values in males. However, a gender difference in IMCL and EMCL values for TA was not found. There was no correlation between IMCL and EMCL values for each muscle and BMI ; but IMCL (r=0.63 in SQL) and EMCL (r=0.88 and r=0.73 in SQL, and MG, respectively; p< 0.01) values correlated significantly with percent FAT. There was no correlation between IMCL values for each muscle and peak VO₂; but the EMCL values of SQL correlated quite negatively with peak VO₂ (r=-0.63, p<0.05) . These results suggest that there are gender differences in intramyocellular and extramyocellular triglyceride contents. Lipids were positively related to percent body fat in SQL and MG; EMCL values may have a negative effect on endurance capacity.

Gender differences were measured in the amount of intramyocellular triglyceride (IMCL) and extramyocellular triglyceride (EMCL) in skeletal muscles using¹H-MR spectroscopy and their relation to body fat and peak VO₂was studied. Fourteen apparently healthy subjects were separated into groups by gender. Both the male and female group subjects were selected according to similar ages and BMI (male: n=7, BMI=20.5±0.6 kg/m², age=21.1±0.7 years, female: n=7, BMI=20.6±0.5 kg/m², age=18.7±0.3 years) . We found a significant correlation between IMCL and EMCL in the soleus (SQL: p<0.01) and medial gastrocnemius (MG: p<0.01) muscles. IMCL values in SQL were significantly higher than IMCL values in MG and tibialis anterior muscle (TA) in both males and females in the order of SQL>MG>TA (p<0.01) .
IMCL and EMCL values in MG and SQL among females were significantly higher (p<0.01) than their corresponding values in males. However, a gender difference in IMCL and EMCL values for TA was not found. There was no correlation between IMCL and EMCL values for each muscle and BMI ; but IMCL (r=0.63 in SQL) and EMCL (r=0.88 and r=0.73 in SQL, and MG, respectively; p< 0.01) values correlated significantly with percent FAT. There was no correlation between IMCL values for each muscle and peak VO₂; but the EMCL values of SQL correlated quite negatively with peak VO₂ (r=-0.63, p<0.05) . These results suggest that there are gender differences in intramyocellular and extramyocellular triglyceride contents. Lipids were positively related to percent body fat in SQL and MG; EMCL values may have a negative effect on endurance capacity.

The aim of this study is the evaluation of intramyocellular (IMCL) and extramyocellular lipids (EMCL) in skeletal muscle in elderly female endurance-trained individuals. The subjects comprised endurance-trained elderly persons (END : n=7, age=66.1±2.0) and healthy elderly control subjects (CON : n=7, age=70.1±3.0). All subjects were female and matched by age and lower BMI. We quantified differences in IMCL and EMCL concentrations in the tibialis anterior (TA), soleus (SOL), and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles using ¹H-MR spectroscopy. The IMCL and EMCL contents in SOL and MG in END were significantly lower than those in CON (p<0.01). Total lipid content in SOL and MG was lower in END. The IMCL and EMCL contents in TA in END were slightly lower than those in CON. Water contents of all types of muscle in END were higher than those in CON. These results suggest that stored IMCL and EMCL in END are less than in CON.

The nutritional status and exercise training programs were compared between adolescent Japanese and Chinese athletes who belonged to the top schools for track and field and basketball in their respective countries. The mean energy intake was about two times greater in Chinese athletes than in their Japanese counterparts. Chinese athletes consumed 1.5-2.0 times more carbohydrate, 1.9-2.3 times more protein, 3.5-7.5 times more calcium, 2.9-3.7 times more iron, 1.72-2.2 times more vitamin B1 and 1.3-1.8 times more vitamin B₂. Almost all the Chinese athletes consumed more than the Recommended Dietary Allowance standards for energy, protein, calcium, iron and vitamins A, B₁, B₂ and C, while many Japanese athletes did not meet them except for vitamin A and C. The Japanese athletes had more inadequate training schedules, insufficient weight training, and unsatisfactory amount and intervals of rest. These results indicate that Japanese athletes have certain deficiencies in their comprehensive training programs in consideration to nutrition, exercise and rest.

This study investigated the desire and its reasons for weight loss, the prevalence of disordered eating patterns and menstrual status, by using written questionnaires and Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26), in Japanese female athletes (n=1000) and nonathletic controls (n=593) . Athletes were divided into the following 6 categories : technical (n=84), endurance I (n=84) and II (n=76), aesthetic (n=120), ball-game (n=447), and power sports (n=189) . Endurance I consisted of athletes competing in sports where leanness were considered important, while endurance II consisted of athletes competing in sports where leanness is less important. In each category, about four fifths of the athletes wanted to reduce their present weight. As to the reasons for weight loss, the athletes, especially those in the categories of endurance I (79%), power (52%) and aesthetic (34%) sports, reported that they prefer to be thin for improving their athletic performance. The prevalence of disordered eating patterns estimated by EAT-26 was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the athletes of endurance I (20%) and aesthetic (12%) groups than in the nonathletic controls (3 %) . In the athletes of these two sporting event categories, higher rates of amenorrhea (endurance I 20% and aesthetic 7 % vs. nonathlets 1 %) were found to be accompanied by lower values of obesity index and BMI. These data indicate a significantly higher prevalence of disordered eating patterns and menstrual dysfunction in the athletes involved in sports where leanness is emphasized, and a close relationship among undernutrition, low body weight and menstrual dysfunction.

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of disordered eating patterns (DEP) and menstrual irregularities in Chinese female athletes (n=881) and nonathletic controls (n=147), by using Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) and written questionnaires. The athletes were divided into the following 6 categories : technical, endurance I (leanness is considered important for athletic performance) and II (leanness is less important), aesthetic, ball-game and power sports. The prevalence of DEP in the athletes estimated by EAT-26 was low (technical 1.5%, endurance I 3.3%, endurance 11 1.6%, aesthetic 3.0%, ball-game 3.0% and power sports 0.9%), and didn't significantly differ from that in nonathletic controls (0.7%) . Amenorrheic athletes were not observed in endurance I and II, aesthetic, or ball-game sports and very low prevalence rates for amenorrhea were found in the athletes in technical (0.5%) and power sports (0.4%) . These figures represent no significant differences between athletes and nonathletes in the prevalence rates of amenorrhea. It was suggested that a low prevalence of DEP in Chinese athletes stems from low socioculturally- and socioeconomically-imposed desires to be thin and low requirements for weight loss to improve athletic performance. Also, the present data suggest that the low incidence of amenorrhea in Chinese athletes is partly associated with the low prevalence of DEP.