Relationships of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption to metabolic syndrome in Japanese men.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is an important, aggravating factor in metabolic syndrome (MetS). In addition, some studies have reported that MetS is related to alcohol consumption irrespective of the amount consumed. However, the relationship of the combination of the 2 habits to MetS has not been fully described. METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey, a questionnaire was used to collect information on cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption from 3904 Japanese men aged 20 years or older. MetS was defined according to Japanese criteria. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze relationships of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption with MetS, after adjustment for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Among the subjects, 581 (14.9%) had MetS. Daily cigarette and alcohol consumption were significantly associated with the prevalence of MetS (P < 0.0001, P = 0.030 for trend). The multivariate-adjusted odds ratio for the prevalence of MetS was 1.89 (95% confidence interval: 1.34-2.65) for subjects who smoked ≥30 cigarettes/day, as compared with nonsmokers; 1.54 (1.06-2.23) for those who consumed ≥69 grams of ethanol/day, as compared with nondrinkers; and 3.63 (1.91-6.90) for those who smoked ≥30 cigarettes/day and consumed ≥69 grams of ethanol/day, as compared with those who neither smoked nor drank. The interaction of smoking ≥30 cigarettes/day with drinking ≥69 grams/day was 2.03 (1.02-4.01, P = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking had independent relations to the prevalence of MetS. In addition, the prevalence of MetS was higher among Japanese men who smoked and drank heavily.

[Epidemiological study of preferable life style for psychological health promotion].

OBJECTIVE: We sought to examine relationships of lifestyle factors, including diet, physical activity, sleep, alcohol consumption and smoking, with perceived stress and depressive symptoms. METHODS: Between 2001 and 2002, 7,947 men and women (mean 52.4 years) took part in examinations at the Osaka Medical Center for Health Science and Promotion. Lifestyle factors were determined by structured interview or by self-administered questionnaire. Associations of life style factors with perceived stress and depressive symptoms were tested by stepwise logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Higher proportions of persons with depressive symptoms tended to be associated with higher proportions of persons with perceived stress. Among both men and women, low physical activity, lack of regular physical exercise, short sleeping time, to skip breakfast frequently, and having dinner within a couple of hours before going to bed were associated with both perceived stress and depressive symptoms. Men reporting between-meal or midnight snacks and having eating until they were full had higher odds ratios for perceived stress, while men conducting regular physical exercise and consuming 3 or more dishes of vegetables per day had lower odds ratios for depressive symptoms. For women, high odds ratios for depressive symptoms and perceived stress were observed among those who tended to have salty foods (or frequent use of soy sauce) and a lower odds ratio for perceived stress was noted among persons who had soy products every day. CONCLUSION: Lifestyle facets such as skipping breakfast, low physical activity, and short sleeping time, appear to be associated with psychological health status of Japanese men and women.