We examined the relationships between exercise, eating disorders, weight loss-related concerns/behaviors and weight-cycling (weight loss and regain ≥10%) . The subjects were comprised of 1123 female college students (aged 18.9 ± 1.1 yrs.) who each completed a questionnaire on eating attitudes [Eating Attitude Test (EAT) ], dieting behavior [Dieting Behavior Scale (DBS) ], purging behavior (self-induced vomiting and use of laxatives) and previous weight-cycling. Subjects were divided into four groups on the basis of their current regular exercise behavior as follows non-exercisers (Ns) (N=704), low-intensity, low-frequency exercisers (LLs) (N=106), moderate/high-intensity, low-frequency exercisers (MLs) (N=184) and moderate/high-intensity, high-frequency exercisers (MHs) (N=129) .
Analyses of variances showed significant differences among the four groups for weight and eating concerns, and weight loss behavior. Not only MHs, but also MLs exhibited higher Dieting subscale score ratings on the EAT than Ns. MHs and MLs also showed higher Structured- and Extraordinary-Diet subscale score ratings on the DBS than Ns and LLs. Significantly more MHs used self-induced vomiting than the other three groups, whereas significantly more MHs and MLs used laxatives than Ns. MHs who had experienced weight-cycling were by far more likely to have unhealthy weight loss behaviors and eating disorders than Ns.
These findings suggest that vigorous exercise in female college students is associated with eating disorder- and weight loss-related concerns/behavior even though the students do not exhibit frequent exercise habits. Though regular exercise is desirable, careful attention must be paid to behavioral factors related to eating and weight loss in exercising female college students.

Previous studies showed associations of sedentary behavior with cardiovascular risks, independent of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. However, few studies have focused on Japanese workers. This study examined the joint association of television viewing time (TV) and walking time (WT) with overweight/obesity among Japanese municipal office workers. A cross-sectional survey collected height, weight, and time spent in TV and WT from 2,175 Japanese workers, aged 22-62 years-old, by self-administered questionnaire. Participants were classified into four categories according to TV (dichotomized into long (>2 hours/day) and short (≤2 hours/day) by the median) and WT (dichotomized into long (≥30 minutes/day) and short (<30 minutes/day) by 30 minutes/day). Odds ratios (OR) for overweight/obesity (body mass index ≥25kg/m²) were calculated according to the four TV/WT categories, adjusted for potential confounders. Overweight/obesity accounted for 30.5% of men and 15.3% of women. Among men, the adjusted ORs (95% CI) of overweight/obesity were 1.14 (0.76, 1.70) for long TV/long WT, 1.13 (0.77, 1.65) for short TV/short WT, and 0.97 (0.67, 1.42) for short TV/long WT, compared with the reference category (long TV/short WT). Among women, the adjusted ORs (95% CI) were 0.70 (0.39, 1.13) for long TV/long WT, 0.55 (0.33, 0.94) for short TV/short WT, and 0.54 (0.33, 0.89) for short TV/long WT. Spending a long time watching television was associated with a higher risk of being obese in Japanese female municipal office workers, independent of WT. Further studies using prospective designs are warranted to develop an effective weight control program for Japanese workers.

Background: Epidemiological findings suggest that weight fluctuations are associated with unfavorable health outcomes compared with stable weight. However, the interrelationship between the weight cycling history and dieting status in a non-clinical male trial on the risk for bio-behavioral health is unclear. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between weight cycling history as a result of intentional weight loss and bio-behavioral health in Japanese adult males. Method: A cross-sectional study was performed on a group of 146 Japanese working males (47.5±9.3 yr.). Each subject completed a series of self-reported questionnaires in which information about weight cycling history, current dieting practices, life-styles, and social background were assessed. Results of the physical check up were used to assess biological parameters. Self-reported weight cycling was defined as intentionally losing 10% of one's weight and regaining the lost weight. Results: Cyclers reported a significantly greater incidence of current dieting and recent weight gain compared with non-cyclers. Taking regular meals, eating breakfast everyday, and not eating snacks between meals every day were significantly less frequent among cyclers compared with non-cyclers after controlling for BMI. The adjusted odds ratio for AST abnormality was 5.46 (95%CI: 1.08 −27.67), ALT abnormality was 3.31 (95%CI: 1.24−8.78), and γ-GTP was 3.38 (95%CI: 1.07−10.67) among cyclers, compared with non-cyclers. Conclusion: These findings suggest that a history of weight cycling in men, regardless of current weight status, is associated with adverse bio-behavioral health. The risk for several liver enzyme abnormalities associated with weight cycling history was substantial, independent of relative body weight and lifestyle factors.
Weight ; Health ; brief historical notes, excludes case histories ; Japanese language ; Cephalic index

Objective : To translate the Abbreviated Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale into Japanese (ANEWS-J) and to examine its reliability.Methods : One hundred sixty three community residents (male: 38.7%, age: 21-69 years old) of 600 who were randomly selected from the registry of residential addresses of Taitoh Ward in Tokyo and Fujinomiya City in Shizuoka Prefecture, responded to mail survey including ANEWS-J. Seventy-seven of 163 answered same questionnaire twice with ten days interval to examine the test-retest reliability.The questionnaire was translated into Japanese and fixed through the processes of preliminary test, backtranslation into English and discussion with authors of original version.Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated for the evaluation of reliability of ANEWS-J.Results : ICCs of the eight subscales of ANEWS-J were residential density; r=0.95 (95% confidence interval; 0.93-0.97), land use mix - diversity; r=0.96 (0.94-0.98), land use mix - access; r=0.90 (0.84-0.94), street connectivity; r=0.83 (0.74-0.90), sidewalk / bike lane; r=0.82 (0.71-0.89), aesthetics; r=0.85 (0.76-0.91), traffic safety; r=0.81 (0.70-0.89), crime safety; r=0.76 (0.62-0.86).Stratified analyses by gender and residential district showed satisfactory reproducibility of the subscales (r=0.63-0.97). Conclusion : Acceptable reliabilities of all eight subscales of ANEWS-J were confirmed in this study.

Background: Perceived benefits and barriers to exercise are important correlates of exercise participation. Purpose: To develop a short version of the perceived benefits and barriers to exercise scale and to examine its validity and reliability. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study of 865 participants (age: 20-69 years old, men: 46.5%) was conducted in four cities in Japan (Koganei, Tshukuba, Shizuoka, Kagoshima). Perceived benefits and barriers scale including five benefit subscales (physical benefit, psychological benefit, social benefit, weight management, self-improvement) with 10 items, five barrier subscales (discomfort, lack of motivation, lack of time, lack of social support, poor physical environment) with 10 items and stage of change for exercise behavior were assessed by self-administered questionnaire. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses to examine the construct validity revealed acceptable fit indices (benefit scale: GFI=.980, AGFI=.951, RMSEA=.058, AIC=151.669, barrier scale: GFI=.973, AGFI=.949, RMSEA=.060, AIC=166.084). Seven of ten subscales indicated significant linear associations with stage of change for exercise behavior, criterion-related validity was revealed. The reliability of the scale was found to be good as internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. Conclusion: The short version of the perceived benefits and barriers scale developed in this study demonstrated acceptable construct validity, criterion-related validity, internal consistency and inter-rater reliability.

We aimed to elucidate the impact of the conducting state in exercise programs and the degree of improvement in sit-to-stand power index (STS-PI) on the continuation of Chokin exercise by participants one year from the completion of the intervention period. Subjects participated in a 12-week Chokin exercise class for the elderly, which consisted of 10 body mass-based exercises. As variables indicating exercise conditions, the number of exercise days weekly and the total number of sets performed during the intervention period were adopted. STS-PI was calculated using the time required to perform 10-times-repeated sit-to-stand task, and its relative change (%∆STS-PI) was used to represent the degree of improvement in physical function. Among 52 men and 129 women who responded to the inquiry about the continuation of Chokin exercise one year from the completion of the intervention period, 32 men and 93 women confirmed continuation of the exercise program. Logistic regression analysis showed that %∆STS-PI for men, as well as %∆STS-PI and the number of exercise days weekly for women, were factors associated with the decision of subjects to continue the Chokin exercise. These results indicate that the degree of improvement in STS-PI associated with the Chokin exercise class is a factor for continuing the exercise program one year from the completion of the intervention period, at least in elderly men and women. Furthermore, high exercise frequency during the intervention period may be associated with the decision to continue Chokin exercise after the completion of the intervention among women.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the difference in physical activity among elderly living in different areas in Japan (“Bunkyo Ward in Tokyo” (Bunkyo) and “Fuchu City in Tokyo” (Fuchu) as urban areas, and “Oyama Town in Shizuoka” (Oyama) as a non-urban area). Participants were 1859 community-dwelling residents aged 65-74 years, randomly selected from the residential registry (response rate: 68.9%). A mail survey using self-administered questionnaires was conducted. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of various types of physical activity (eg, walking (Walking), going out (Going-out), bicycling (Bicycling), exercise habits (Exercise)), according to residential areas (reference category: Fuchu), stratified by gender, adjusting for socio-demographic variables. There was a significant difference in Going-out (ORs = 0.61 (95% CI: 0.44-0.86) for men, 0.48 (0.33-0.69) for women)), and Bicycling (0.04 (0.03-0.07) for men, 0.04 (0.02-0.07) for women) in Oyama compared to Fuchu. Furthermore, for women, there was a significant difference in Walking (0.56 (0.38-0.81)) and Exercise (0.59 (0.41-0.85)) in Oyama compared to Fuchu. There was a significant difference in Bicycling and Going-out for men in Bunkyo compared to Fuchu, but there was not a significant difference in other items. Low physical activity levels were observed in the elderly in the non-urban area compared to urban areas. The association was stronger in women. Regional difference might need to be taken into account for an effective physical activity intervention.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness and coronary risk factor profiles in Japanese women. The subjects were 1, 483 women (ages 30 to 69) who participated in a practical health promotion program. After medical examination, physical fitness was evaluated by conducting a symptom limited maximal exercise test by ergometer to measure maximum oxygen uptake (peakVO2) with an expired gas analyzer. The subjects were classified into 3 groups (high fitness, moderate fitness, and low fitness) according to age and physical fitness level. The results showed that the subjects in higher fitness groups had lower levels in: body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat, waist−hip ratio, resting blood pressure, and atherogenic index, and higher HDL−cholesterol compared to those in lower fitness group. Even after adjustment for the effects of age and BMI, the subjects in the higher fitness groups had better coronary risk factor profiles. These results suggest that among Japanese women a high level of physical fitness is related to favorable coronary risk factor profiles.
Physical Fitness ; Risk Factors ; Japanese language ; Cardio- ; Human Females

“Cardiac Cycle: The First Step, ” which discretely, non-ambiguously, and accurately presents basic essential information on the cardiac cycle, was compared with conventional material in terms of educational efficiency. Twenty-six first-year medical students were randomly assigned to either material. The conventional group was presented with a standard textbook with a typical figure and text. The students were blinded as to the origin of the materials. After self-study, the same quiz (30 two-item choice questions asking basic essential information) was given to both groups and was scored by a blinded rater. The number of correct answers was 25.7±3.7 (mean±SD) in the conventional group and 29.4±1.1 in the ‘first-step group’(p<0.01).

BACKGROUNDEpidemiological findings suggest that weight fluctuations are associated with unfavorable health outcomes compared with stable weight. However, the interrelationship between the weight cycling history and dieting status in a non-clinical male trial on the risk for bio-behavioral health is unclear.

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to examine the relation between weight cycling history as a result of intentional weight loss and bio-behavioral health in Japanese adult males.

METHODA cross-sectional study was performed on a group of 146 Japanese working males (47.5±9.3 yr.). Each subject completed a series of self-reported questionnaires in which information about weight cycling history, current dieting practices, life-styles, and social background were assessed. Results of the physical check up were used to assess biological parameters. Self-reported weight cycling was defined as intentionally losing 10% of one's weight and regaining the lost weight.

RESULTSCyclers reported a significantly greater incidence of current dieting and recent weight gain compared with non-cyclers. Taking regular meals, eating breakfast everyday, and not eating snacks between meals every day were significantly less frequent among cyclers compared with non-cyclers after controlling for BMI. The adjusted odds ratio for AST abnormality was 5.46 (95% CI: 1.08-27.67), ALT abnormality was 3.31 (95% CI: 1.24-8.78), and γ-GTP was 3.38 (95% CI: 1.07-10.67) among cyclers, compared with noncyclers.

CONCLUSIONThese findings suggest that a history of weight cycling in men, regardless of current weight status, is associated with adverse bio-behavioral health. The risk for several liver enzyme abnormalities associated with weight cycling history was substantial, independent of relative body weight and lifestyle factors.