Time trends of socioeconomic inequalities in adolescent smoking in Okinawa, Japan, 2008-2016: a repeated cross-sectional study.

Background: Smoking among Japanese adolescents has decreased noticeably. However, little is known whether the decreasing trend in adolescent smoking can be seen across all socioeconomic status (SES) groups. This study aimed to examine trends in socioeconomic inequalities in smoking among Japanese adolescents between 2008 and 2016.

Impact of thirteen-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on nasopharyngeal carriage in healthy children under 24 months in Okinawa, Japan.

In November 2013, a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) for all infants aged younger than 5 years was incorporated into the Japan national immunization program. An annual survey of nasopharyngeal carriage rates was performed on healthy infants aged 2-24 months from Okinawa, Japan to evaluate the effect of PCV13 on pneumococcal colonization. Of 756 evaluable infants, 203 pneumococcal strains were detected in 193 infants.

Mediating effect of aerobic fitness on the association between physical activity and academic achievement among adolescents: A cross-sectional study in Okinawa, Japan.

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential role of aerobic fitness (AF) as a mediator of the association between physical activity (PA) and academic achievement (AA) among Japanese junior high school students. A cross-sectional data was collected from 608 7th grade students enrolled at five public junior high schools in two suburban municipalities in Okinawa, Japan. Self-reported PA was assessed using the Patient-Centred Assessment and Counselling for Exercise plus Nutrition questionnaire.

The Relative Association of Collective Efficacy in School and Neighborhood Contexts With Adolescent Alcohol Use.

Background: It is unclear whether either neighborhood collective efficacy or school collective efficacy is associated with adolescent alcohol use. This study aimed to examine the relative contributions of collective efficacy, both in school and in the neighborhood contexts, to alcohol use among Japanese adolescents.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in public high schools across Okinawa and Ibaraki Prefectures in Japan in 2016.

Does Physical Fitness Affect Academic Achievement among Japanese Adolescents? A Hybrid Approach for Decomposing Within-Person and Between-Persons Effects.

Positive association between physical fitness and academic achievement in adolescents has been suggested yet the causal effect of physical fitness on academic achievement remains unclear. This study examined if longitudinal changes in physical fitness were associated with changes in academic achievement among junior high school students. Analyses were based on a two-year with three time-point data of 567 students (aged 12⁻13 years old at the baseline-point; 303 boys) who entered in five Japanese junior high schools in 2015.

Unnecessary Dieting Intention and Behavior among Female Students in Naha City, Japan.

Weight concerns and dieting are prevalent among female adolescents both in Western and Asian countries. They can result in negative psychological and physiological consequences. This study aimed to examine the relative importance of social and personal factors in the decision to diet among female adolescent students in Japan, applying the Theory of Planned Behavior.