It has been reported that visceral fat (VF) is an independent predictor of the incidence for coronary heart disease, and is associated with its risk factors. The independent effects of exercise or dietary modification on VF remain to be fully elucidated, especially in obese middle-aged men. The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of exercise on VF compared to dietary modification. Thirty-five obese middle-aged men participated in this study. They consisted of exercise group (n=22, 51.4±11.6 yr, Group E) and diet group (n=13, 48.8±12.2 yr, Group D). Participants in Group E followed 90-min exercise sessions on a regular basis 3 days per week for 12 weeks. Participants in Group D attended weekly classes aimed at maintaining well-balanced 1,680 kcal/d diet for 12 weeks. Body weight decreased significantly in both groups (Group E : −2.9 kg, Group D : −5.4 kg). Visceral fat area (VFA) determined by computed tomography also decreased significantly (Group E : −32.0 cm², Group D : −39.4 cm²). An analysis of covariance adjusted by weight change revealed no significant group difference in VFA change. These results suggest that exercise-induced negative energy balance does not result in greater decrease in VFA as compared with dietary modification alone.

Objective：The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between the timing of gait acquisition and the length of hospitalization, and to clarify the differences in background factors and functional recovery during the early postoperative period and their effect on the variability in gait acquisition.
Methods：We recruited 148 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at three hospitals. The participants were divided into two groups on the basis of the number of days needed to achieve independent gait at ≤14 days after surgery (group A) and ＞14 days after surgery (group B). We compared the background factors between the two groups. Additionally, we compared the preoperative and postoperative function in each group.
Results：We observed a significant positive correlation between the number of days needed to achieve independent gait and the length of hospitalization. In group A, the significant background factors were younger age and higher preoperative activity level. In group A, compared with the level of preoperative function, the postoperative maximum knee extension angle on the operated side and pain had significantly improved. In both groups, the postoperative knee extensor strength on the operated side, knee extensor strength on the nonoperated side, knee flexion strength on the operated side, maximum knee flexion angle on the operated side, and walking speed were significantly reduced.
Conclusion：During early rehabilitation, it is necessary to consider the age and previous activities of patients. In addition, we suggest that early rehabilitation with a focus on reducing pain by alleviating inflammation and improving maximum knee extension angle on the operated side may be effective for fast acquisition of gait.

Objective：To elucidate factors associated with physical function and clarify the actual condition of functional deterioration in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) prior to total knee arthroplasty (TKA)．

Methods：We enrolled 467 patients with severe knee OA and preoperatively assessed the following parameters：background factors (sex, age, BMI, K-L grade, and pain) and physical function (muscle strength of knee extensors and flexors, and knee joint angles). A multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between the independent background factors and dependent physical functions. The median of preoperative function based on selected factors of physical function was calculated.

Results：Based on the multiple regression analysis, sex, BMI, K-L grade, and pain statistically significantly correlated with muscle strength of knee extensors and flexors. Sex and BMI statistically significantly correlated with knee joint flexion angle. K-L grade statistically significantly correlated with knee joint extension angle. The median of muscle strength for knee extension was 0.98/0.92 Nm/kg (Grade 3/Grade 4) for males and 0.70/0.59 Nm/kg for females. The median of muscle strength for knee flexion was 0.53/0.45 Nm/kg for males, 0.36/0.30 Nm/kg for females. The median for knee joint flexion angle was 130° for males and 120° for females. The median for knee joint extension angle was -5°/-10° (Grade 3/Grade 4)．

Conclusion：We clarified the degree of muscle strength and range of motion before TKA in patients with knee OA. We believe that the findings obtained in this study will contribute to explaining the functional deterioration of patients with knee OA.

The aim of this study was to examine a weight reduction program and residual effects, through confirming the relationship between changes in the morphological and psychological indices including personality and self-efficacy (SE) of the participants. Twenty-five middle-aged women were divided into two groups based on type of weight reduction program intervention. Thirteen women participated in a 3-month diet-only weight reduction program (DO group, 53.3±7.4 yr), and 12 women took part in a 3-month diet and aerobic exercise program (DE group, 48.3±9.6 yr). After the programs, the compatibility score of personality in the DO group was negatively correlated to SE that is indicated as confidence in ability to maintain decreased body weight at 2, 3, and 4 years after the program (r=-0.69, -0.58, and -0.60). It can be seen that personality has an effect on the results of the DO group weight reduction program. Additionally, despite a significant decrease in body-weight and %fat in both groups, only the change of %fat significantly correlated with SE. On the basis of these correlations, the changes of %fat that related to the movability perception of body movements has a greater effect on SE after the program than the information only of weight loss. The results of this study suggest that personality and SE accounted for weight maintenance, and were associated with the results of the weight reduction program.

Purpose：The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of change in daily physical activity during an exercise intervention on health status and physical fitness.Methods：Participants were 22 obese middle-aged men (BMI : 29.1±2.8 kg/m², 54.1±11.4 yr). They performed 90-min exercise sessions on a regular basis 3 days per week for 3 months. Physical activity (total energy expenditure, TEE ; activity energy expenditure, AEE ; and step counts) was measured using an accelerometer. Daily physical activity was defined as that which was performed outside of the exercise class. A 3-day food record was used to estimate energy intake. Results：Body weight decreased (-3.0±2.5 kg, P＜0.05). Vital age (VA), an index of comprehensive health status, and physical fitness age (PFA), an index of comprehensive physical fitness, significantly improved (VA : -8.7±5.5 yr, PFA : -8.5±5.1 yr, P＜0.05). Energy intake remained unchanged during the intervention (＋63.7±546.1 kcal/d). Daily physical activity increased (TEE : ＋83.0±130.1 kcal/d, AEE : ＋76.9±103.3 kcal/d, step counts : ＋1789±2819 steps/d, P＜0.05). Change in daily physical activity was correlated with change in VA (AEE : r＝-0.52, step counts : r＝-0.46, P＜0.05), while change in daily physical activity did not correlate with change in PFA. Conclusion：These results suggest that changes in daily physical activity during an exercise intervention are associated with improved health status.

Our examination was performed on 1, 541 men and 3, 803 women. Reviewed were blood pressure, obesity, anemia, fatty tissue (lipide), liver function, urine-suger and protein, urobilinogen, and their abnormalities.
(1) High blood pressure was found in 53.7 % of the men and 68.3 % of the women, with higher rates found in the middle to older age groups of both men and women.
(2) Obesity, by the Minowa method, was found to be over 20 %, with the higher rate being in women. The tendency to obesity in men was found to decrease with age. In females, abnormalities of blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglyceride, thickness of subcutaneous fatty tissue (of the upper arm and shoulder blade areas) were discovered to be greater in proportion to obesity.
(3) Abnormalities in GPT were seen as 15.3 % in men and 7.3 % in women. According to age group in men: Those in their 30's, 21 %, in the 40's, 27.2 %, 50's, 12.7%, 60's, 9.1 %.
A study on the effects of alcholic beverage consumption will be included in the 1983 survey.

Objectives: Clinical prediction rules are used to discriminate patients with locomotive syndrome and may enable early detection. This study aimed to validate the clinical predictive rules for locomotive syndrome in communitydwelling older adults. Methods: We assessed the clinical prediction rules for locomotive syndrome in a cross-sectional setting. The age, sex, and body mass index of participants were recorded. Five physical function tests–grip strength, single-leg standing time, timed up-and-go test, and preferred and maximum walking speeds–were measured as predic tive factors. Three previously developed clinical prediction models for determining the severity of locomotive syndrome were assessed using a decision tree analysis. To assess validity, the sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio, and post-test probability of the clinical prediction rules were calculated using receiver operating charac teristic curve analysis for each model. Results: Overall, 280 older adults were included (240 women; mean age, 74.8 ± 5.2 years), and 232 (82.9%), 68 (24.3%), and 28 (10.0%) participants had locomotive syndrome stages ≥ 1, ≥ 2, and = 3, respectively. The areas under the receiver operating characteristics curves were 0.701, 0.709, and 0.603, in models 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The accuracies of models 1 and 2 were moderate. Conclusions These findings indicate that the models are reliable for community-dwelling older adults.