Background: The potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily Q member 1 (KCNQ1) gene has recently received much attention as a candidate susceptibility gene for type 2 diabetes mellitus, especially in Asian populations. We previously reported that Kcnq1 mutant mice exhibit reduced insulin secretion and hyperglycemia due to a decrease in pancreatic β-cell mass. Through in vivo and in vitro analyses, we ascertained that this mechanism is the result of the downregulation of the non-coding RNA ‘Kcnq1ot1,’ which is expressed in the paternal allele of the Kcnq1 gene region, causing an increase in the expression of the cell cycle inhibitor cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 1C (Cdkn1c). It was found that decreased Kcnq1ot1 expression resulted in pancreatic β-cell failure; however, the degree of pancreatic β-cell volume reduction was not severe. Methods: We induced obesity in Kcnq1ot1 truncation mice by feeding them a high-fat diet and evaluated pancreatic β-cell mass. Results: In the present study, we reveal that CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta (C/EBPβ), which is expressed at higher levels in pancreatic β-cells in obese individuals, further increases the expression of Cdkn1c, which is upregulated by the Kcnq1 gene mutation. We found that simultaneous Cdkn1c hypomethylation and C/EBPβ overexpression in pancreatic β-cells causes a synergistic decrease in pancreatic β-cell mass. Conclusion This finding suggests that the synergistic effect of genetic factors such as Kcnq1 gene mutations and environmental factors such as obesity and overeating, which lead to increased expression of C/EBPβ, contribute to the regulation of pancreatic β-cell mass. This study is the first to show that the Kcnq1 gene is related to pancreatic β-cell mass through genetic-environment interactions.

As regards obesity screening tests, it's a widly known fact that there are many problems in the existing notation of various body indices.
Moreover, in regards to the determination of skin-fold thickness, measurments must be taken at two or three places, and this, plus the fact that a certain amount of expertise is necessary, represent a shortcoming.
Using abdominal girth, which can be relatively easily measured, together with the chest girth measurment, the author examined a method for assessing obesity.
Various body indices were computed from height, weight, chest measurement, abdominal girth, etc. and the correlation between their value and skin fold thickness and average skin fold thickness was determined.
As a result of this, abdominal girth measurement and evaluation may be used in obesity screen tests in the following way.
1. Method for measuring abdominal girth.
[1] Have the patient assume normal posture.
[2] Girth is measured (in centimeters) around the area mid way above the navel while the patient resting expiratory state with arms hanging limp and shoulders relaxed.
2. Method for computing obesity index.
obesity index=height (in cm) ×10/abdominal girth (in cm)
The subject of the above research is extreamly limited in respect to age range. Therefore, the authors would like to examine further to see if this method is applicable to all age renges.

We have tried to design a method to measure health degrees as one of ideas to grasp the activity of general population.
We should like to suggest to measure relative local endurance and to observe its index or their mutual index ratio measurement of their endurance in each item.
Exercise method was already reported in the report (1) .
Loading time by standing arm test (SAT) is 1 minute, knee test (KT) is 30 seconds, sit up test (ST) is 30 seconds for general population.
Extimate formulas on index are given as follows,
SAT=120-2Y/ (P₁+P₂) ×4×1.36×100=2206-37Y/P₁+P₂
KT=120-2X/ (P₁+P₂) ×4×1.22×100=2459-41X/P₁+P₂
_??_ST₃₀=120-3Z/ (P₁+P₂) ×4×1.20×100=2500-63Z/P₁+P₂
_??_ST₃₀=120-3Z/ (P₁+P₂) ×4×1.38×100=2174-63Z/P₁+P₂
X, Y and Z show frequency of impossible in each exercise.
The above index itself can be compared with index in another person, but for the individual SAT/KT and ST/KT show that balance of moving and in case need SAT+ KT and SAT+KT+ST can be compared as the whole body endurance.
After this, we are expected to investigate whether the health degree in each individual can be observated or not, by these methods.