Objective: The objective of the present study was to clarify the relationship between factors having an influence on obesity improvement programs and psychosocial factors from a more comprehensive point of view.
Methods: We studied a total of 43 subjects with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m2 or higher who wished to take part in an obesity improvement program and agreed to participate in the study. We conducted an obesity improvement program based on behavior change theories for three months and evaluated physical composition, mental health, social support, stress-coping and the like before intervention and immediately after completion of the program.
Results: The average weight showed a significant decrease from 69.0 } 8.8 kg to 65.7 } 8.7 kg before and after intervention (p<0.001), respectively. It was also shown that the presence or absence of chronic diseases, social support from a spouse and the decrease of avoidance stress coping were related to weight loss.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that it will be further necessary to continue working on the need to enhance awareness about stress with a view to preventing occurrence of rebound after the end of weight loss programs and acquisition coping techniques, apart from the cooperation of attending doctors, strengthening of social support from family and friends and managing stress for the duration of the program.

  Objective: The purpose of this research is to clarify whether the current situation of the lower back pain prevention education of manual therapists is different between the colleges for sighted persons and those for the visually impaired. This research investigated the current situation of the guidance using an up-and-down type treatment table and the current situation of lower back pain prevention education at manual therapist colleges in Japan.  Method: A mail-in survey was conducted for 85 colleges providing a manual therapist training program. For data analysis, descriptive statistics were used to calculate proportions. The type of colleges and implementation of lower back pain prevention education were chi-square tested against other questions.  Results: Of the 52 colleges that responded to the survey form, those for sighted persons which offered lower back pain prevention education numbered 8 of 8 (100%), while such institutions for the visually impaired were 22 of 44 (50%) (p<0.001). Among the 51 colleges responding to the question about the up-and-down treatment table, 1 in 8 (12.5%) institutions for the sighted used the device, as did 43 of 43 (100%) (p<0.001) institutions for the visually impaired. Of the 44 colleges which use the up-and-down type treatment table, 38 (86.4%) taught the height of the treatment table and 43 (97.7%) taught the posture, but there was no common guidance method used by a majority of the colleges. Among the 44 colleges using the up-and-down type treatment table, those which provided lower back pain prevention education and taught the height of the treatment table were 23 of 23 (100％) (p＝0.008).  Discussion: Manual therapist colleges have paid attention to teaching a posture, but that instruction is not connected to lower back pain prevention by teaching the height of a treatment table. Training colleges need a common teaching method to give systematic lower back pain prevention education.  Conclusion: Manual therapist training differs by environment for sighted and visually impaired students, suggesting that teaching method of lower back pain prevention education is different.