Relationship of dietary factors and habits with sleep-wake regularity.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations between dietary factors and sleep-wake regularity in the Japanese population. We analyzed 1368 eligible subjects (931 men and 437 women) aged 35-69 years who had participated in the baseline survey of a cohort study in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Information on individual lifestyle characteristics, including dietary habits and sleep-wake regularity, was obtained by a self administrated questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate adjusted associations of the intake energy ratios of macronutrients, as well as intake frequency, and the amount of staple foods with sleep wake regularity. The lowest quartile of protein intake as well as the highest quartile of carbohydrates showed significantly higher multivariable-adjusted odds ratios of 2.1 (95% confidence interval, 1.3-3.3) and 2.1 (1.3-3.5), respectively, for poor sleep-wake regularity compared with the respective second quartile that is thought to be moderate intake. Regarding intake of staple foods, low weekly intake frequency at breakfast (<5 times/week), the lowest intake amount (<1 bowl or slice/roll) at breakfast, and the highest intake amount (>=2 bowls or slices/ rolls) at lunch and dinner exhibited significantly high adjusted odds ratios for poor sleep-wake regularity. Additionally adjusting for sleep duration, these results did not substantially alter. Our results suggested that low intake energy ratio of proteins and high intake energy ratio of carbohydrates, skipping intake of the staple foods at breakfast, and excessive intake amount of the staple foods at lunch and dinner may be associated with poor sleep-wake regularity.

Consumption of seafood, serum liver enzymes, and blood levels of PFOS and PFOA in the Japanese population.

OBJECTIVE: Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) have been shown to accumulate in the human body. The purpose of the present study was to examine the factors associated with the blood levels of PFOS and PFOA. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on 307 men and 301 women (aged 16-76 years) living in 15 prefectures in Japan. Blood levels of PFOS and PFOA were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Hepatic enzymes (γ-GTP, GOT, and GPT) and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA and EPA) levels in serum were also measured. Associations between the levels of PFOS and PFOA in blood and the intake frequency of 41 kinds of dishes, foods and beverages and the serum levels of liver enzymes and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids were examined using rank correlations. RESULTS: Frequency of intake of boiled fish in broth, sliced raw fish and coastal fish showed significant positive correlations with PFOS concentrations in blood after adjustments for potential confounders. Serum levels of GOT, GPT, DHA and EPA showed significant positive correlations with PFOS and PFOA in blood. There was also a significant regional difference in the blood levels of PFOS and 2013PFOA, with medians being highest in the Tokai/Hokuriku/Kinki region. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the concentrations of PFOS in blood were mainly associated with fish consumption and that the levels of PFOS and PFOA were associated with the serum levels of liver enzymes in Japanese populations. Further investigations are required to clarify the reason for the regional differences in blood levels of PFOS and PFOA in Japan.

Inverse correlation between coffee consumption and prevalence of metabolic syndrome: baseline survey of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study in Tokushima, Japan.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether consumption of coffee and green tea is associated with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 554 adults who had participated in the baseline survey of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Consumption of coffee and green tea was assessed using a questionnaire. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) and the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity (JASSO). Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between consumption of coffee and green tea and prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components. RESULTS: After adjustment for sex, age, and other potential confounders, greater coffee consumption was associated with a significantly lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome, as defined by NCEP ATP III criteria (P for trend = 0.03). Participants who drank more coffee had a lower odds ratio (OR) for high serum triglycerides (P for trend = 0.02), but not for increased waist circumference or high blood pressure. Using JASSO criteria, moderate coffee consumption (1.5 to <3 cups/day) was associated with a significantly lower OR for high plasma glucose (OR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.28-0.93). Green tea consumption was not associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome or any of its components. CONCLUSIONS: Coffee consumption was inversely correlated with metabolic syndrome diagnosed using NCEP ATP III criteria, mainly because it was associated with lower serum triglyceride levels. This association highlights the need for further prospective studies of the causality of these relationships.

Association between blood levels of PCDDs/PCDFs/dioxin-like PCBs and history of allergic and other diseases in the Japanese population.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies reported that exposure to dioxins was associated with an increased risk of various diseases in general populations. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the association between levels of dioxins in blood and allergic and other diseases. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 1,063 men and 1,201 women (aged 15-76 years), who were living throughout Japan and not occupationally exposed to dioxins, during 2002-2010. In fasting blood samples, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs) were analyzed by isotope dilution high-resolution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. We obtained information on life style and self-reported history of diseases using a questionnaire. Blood pressure, blood levels of hemoglobin A1c, and serum lipids were also measured. Multiple logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between dioxin levels in blood and various diseases. RESULTS: Toxic equivalents of PCDDs/PCDFs and total dioxins showed significant inverse dose-response relationships with atopic dermatitis, after adjustments for potential confounders. The highest quartile for total dioxins had an adjusted odds ratio of 0.26 (95 % confidence interval 0.08-0.70) compared to the reference group (first quartile). The odds ratios for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, gout in men, and gynecologic diseases in women significantly increased with increasing toxic equivalents of PCDDs/PCDFs, DL-PCBs, and total dioxins in blood. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that background exposure to dioxins was associated with reduced risk of atopic dermatitis. The results also support the idea that low-level exposure to dioxins is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.