BACKGROUNDObesity is the most common metabolic disease in the world. However, the relationship between obesity and lung function is not fully understood. Although several longitudinal studies have shown that increases in body weight can lead to reductions in pulmonary function, whether this is the case with the Japanese population and whether high body mass index (BMI) status alone represents an appropriate predictor of obstructive lung dysfunction remains unclear. The purpose of present study was to estimate the effect of BMI on lung function measured by spirometry of Japanese patients in general clinics. We measured BMI and performed spirometry on screening patients who had consulted general clinics.

METHODSSubjects comprised 1231 patients ≥ 40 years of age (mean age (65.0 ± 12.0) years, 525 men, 706 women) who had consulted clinics in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, for non-respiratory disease. BMI was calculated and lung function was measured by spirometry.

RESULTSBMI was found to be positively correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1))/forced vital capacity (FVC) in men and with maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMF) in all subjects. Following adjustment for relevant factors, a significant positive correlation between BMI and FEV(1)/FVC was identified for all subjects. Comparison between subjects with normal BMI (18.5 - 25.0) and higher BMI (25.1 - 30.0) also demonstrated that FEV(1)/FVC and percentage of predicted maximum mid-expiratory flow (%MMF) were significantly higher in the latter subjects.

CONCLUSIONSIn a population without marked respiratory disease, higher BMI subjects showed less obstructive pulmonary dysfunction compared to normal BMI subjects. High BMI status alone may be inappropriate as a predictor of obstructive lung dysfunction, particularly in populations with a low prevalence of obesity.

Adult ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Vital Capacity

Since the accident on March 11th 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station following the Great East Japan Earthquake,huge amount of radionuclide has been released to the surrounding environment.In this study,the environmental monitoring method,γ-ray dose rates,radioactivity in environmental samples,food,wild animals and plants,health situation of residents were summarized.Through summarizing the accident experience of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station,this research discussed and analyzed the accident combining with the situation in China.

BACKGROUND: Age-related low-grade inflammation causing endothelial disruption influences sarcopenia, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. We reported previously that maintenance of muscle strength in elderly hypertensive men with high platelet levels is positively associated with subclinical atherosclerosis but not in those with low platelet levels. Since reduced tongue pressure is related to sarcopenia, tongue pressure may be associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive elderly subjects, and platelet levels may function as an indicator of the association between tongue pressure and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 342 hypertensive elderly Japanese men aged 60-89 who participated in an annual health check-up in 2015 and 2016. Subclinical carotid atherosclerosis was defined as a common carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) of 1.1 mm or more. RESULTS: In the overall study population, 171 subjects demonstrated low platelets (< 21.4 × 10/μL). Tongue pressure was significantly inversely associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in these subjects, but not in subjects with high platelets. The known cardiovascular risk factor adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis for a 1 standard deviation (SD) increment in tongue pressure (10.4 kPa) were 0.54 (0.35, 0.85) and 1.31 (0.87, 1.96), respectively. CONCLUSION Tongue pressure is inversely associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive elderly men with low platelet levels, but not in those with high levels. This finding may thus constitute an efficient tool for clarifying the background mechanism of age-related diseases such as sarcopenia, hypertension, and atherosclerosis.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aging ; blood ; physiology ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; blood ; physiopathology ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Confidence Intervals ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; blood ; physiopathology ; Japan ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Platelet Count ; Pressure ; Risk Factors ; Tongue ; physiology