Prevalence of infantile wheezing and eczema in a metropolitan city in Japan: A complete census survey.

Infantile wheezing and eczema are associated with the subsequent onset of asthma and other atopic diseases. However, there are no large population-based surveys on infantile allergic symptoms in Japan. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of wheezing and asthma in infants in Nagoya, Japan. This population-based cross-sectional study was performed in the metropolitan city of Nagoya, Japan. We surveyed parents to ascertain the prevalence of wheezing and eczema in infants who attended group health checkups at 3, 18, and 36 months of age. Their parents completed modified questionnaires from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. More than 90% of the approximately 40,000 children in each study group living in the target area were included in the survey. The prevalence of wheezing was 8%, 17%, and 13% at 3, 18, and 36 months, respectively, and was characterized by birth season. The prevalence of eczema was 24%, 30%, and 31%, at 3, 18, and 36 months, respectively. Participants born in autumn and winter had a higher incidence of eczema in each age group. Three-quarters of the children had a parental history of allergic conditions. Parental allergic diseases and male gender are risk factors for wheezing and eczema in children. This survey had a high response rate and covered almost the entire population of the target age groups in a large city. We believe that the results of this study, therefore, provide a much higher level of confidence regarding the prevalence of allergies in infants in Japan than that in previous studies with limited cohorts.

[Increased body mass index in young adults is associated with metabolic syndrome].

OBJECTIVES: Specific Health Examinations and Guidance (Tokutei kenko shinsa/Tokutei hoken shido) are provided for people over 40 years of age to reduce the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). In the present study, we evaluated the importance of weight control in people below 40 years of age. METHODS: Male subjects (n = 877), aged 30 years, without MetS, were examined. Subjects were classified into 3 groups based on body mass index (BMI): non-obese (BMI < 22), pre-obese (22 ≤ BMI < 25), and obese (BMI ≥ 25). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed for each group to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the incidence of MetS in individuals in their 40s on the basis of changes in their BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, high-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels between 30 and 35 years of age. In addition, subjects were classified into 3 sub-groups based on changes in BMI: stable-decrease (BMI change < 1), slight increase (1 ≤ BMI increase<2), and increase (2 ≤ BMI increase). HRs for the 3 BMI change sub-groups for MetS were calculated for non-obese and pre-obese subjects. RESULTS: There was a significant association between changes in BMI and the incidence of MetS for non-obese individuals in their 40s (HR: 2.80, 95% CI: 1.61-4.88) and pre-obese subjects (HR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.44-2.77). There were also significant associations between the stable/decrease and increase (HR: 9.39, 95% CI: 1.52-57.70) sub-groups and MetS in the non-obese group, as well as for the slight increase (HR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.03-5.11) and increase (HR: 10.13, 95% CI: 4.30-23.80) sub-groups in the pre-obese group. CONCLUSIONS: BMI change in young adults is an important risk factor for MetS among individuals in their 40s. Even subjects with a BMI lower than 25 had differences in the risk of developing MetS based on their BMI change sub-group. In the field of occupational health, it will be necessary to promote stable weight control in young adults to reduce the incidence of MetS.

[The effect of a health promotion program at the worksite--an approach to hyperlipoproteinemia in workers before middle age].

A one-year educational program at the worksite was designed to reassess individual physical activities and acquire knowledge of hyperlipoproteinemia in workers aged 30, 35 and 40 who had increased serum cholesterol (CHO) or triglyceride (TG). A total of 420 subjects were selected in 8 yr. The mean percentage of attendance for the program consisting of measuring maximum oxygen uptake, a lecture on a healthy life, an eating-experience class and measuring serum lipid was 86, 59, 35 and 61%, respectively. The male subjects (214 subjects for 1 yr and 125 subjects for 5 yr) who had measured maximum oxygen uptake before the program and serum lipids before and after the program were studied. They were divided into three groups according to their lipoprotein phenotypes to compare the effect of the education on their blood lipid levels. In the type IIa group, the CHO value and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-CHO had decreased about 10 mg/dl at 1 yr (n = 117) and the latter remained decreased at 5 yr (n = 69). The CHO value had decreased in the type IIb group (n = 44) both at 1 (n = 44) and 5 yr (n = 25) although the TG value was decreased only at 1 yr. The average HDL value was significantly increased in the type IV group (n = 53) although the TG value was not improved in 5 yr (n = 32). The type IIb group showed an increase in BMI, increased % fat and decreased estimated maximum oxygen uptake value compared to those in the type IIa group. The number of smokers was the greatest in the type IV group. We observed different effects of the education on the blood lipid values and also different physique and life-habits among groups of three lipoprotein phenotypes in the workers before the middle age. It might be necessary to evaluate the effects of the educational program for ameliorating serum lipids in regard to the individual lipoprotein-phenotypes.