Effect of mastication evaluation and intervention on body composition and biochemical indices in female patients with obesity: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: A limited number of studies have evaluated the masticatory indices of individuals with obesity who only chew their food a few times and for shorter duration or who were provided with an instructional intervention. This study aimed to examine the effects of a 6-month instructional mastication intervention on the body composition and biochemical indices in female patients with obesity.

Methods: Female patients with obesity were randomly classified into a conventional treatment group (CTG; 12 individuals), which only received normal nutritional and exercise guidance, and a mastication intervention group (MIG; 16 individuals), which received an additional mastication guidance.

Personality traits and preoperative lifestyle improvement are predictors of early weight loss after sleeve gastrectomy.

Purpose: This study investigated the associations of personality traits and preoperative lifestyle improvements with early weight loss after sleeve gastrectomy.

Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective study of 57 patients who underwent preoperative lifestyle intervention with a multidisciplinary team approach based on cognitive behavioral therapy before sleeve gastrectomy. All patients underwent preoperative psychological testing with the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and the Tokyo University Egogram New Version II (TEG II).

Masticatory Behaviors and Gender Differences in People with Obesity as Measured via an Earphone-Style Light-Sensor-Based Mastication Meter.

While people with obesity have been found to chew fewer times and for shorter durations, few studies have quantitatively evaluated mastication among this group. This study examined the relationship between the mastication characteristics of people with obesity and the factors correlated with obesity. To this end, 46 people with obesity and 41 healthy participants placed an earphone-style light sensor in the aperture of their outer ear.

Serum Angiopoietin-Like Protein 2 and NT-Pro BNP Levels and Their Associated Factors in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure Participating in a Phase III Cardiac Rehabilitation Program.

Angiopoietin-like protein 2 (ANGPTL2) promotes chronic inflammation and plays a key role in the pathogenesis of heart failure. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an integral component of heart failure management and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. However, ANGPTL2 concentration in chronic heart failure patients undergoing CR has not been evaluated.

The relationship between changes in serum myostatin and adiponectin levels in patients with obesity undergoing a weight loss program.

Background: An effective strategy for weight loss in patients who are overweight or obese is to reduce body fat mass while maintaining skeletal muscle mass. Adiponectin and myostatin are affected through changes in body composition due to weight loss, and examining their dynamics may contribute to strategies for maintaining skeletal muscle mass through weight loss. We aimed to examine the relationships among myostatin, adiponectin, and body composition, depending on the extent of weight loss, in patients with obesity undergoing a weight loss program.

Evaluation of oxygen uptake adjusted by skeletal muscle mass in cardiovascular disease patients with type 2 diabetes.

[Purpose] We aimed to evaluate oxygen uptake adjusted by total skeletal muscle mass in patients with cardiovascular disease with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus. [Participants and Methods] The participants included 54 males ≥50 years of age without heart failure who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing during cardiac rehabilitation. We divided the participants into two groups: patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM group) and patients without type 2 diabetes mellitus (NDM group).

Association of serum adiponectin and myostatin levels with skeletal muscle in patients with obesity: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Adiponectin has been reported to be associated with lower skeletal muscle mass and skeletal strength and may be involved in skeletal muscle regulation along with myostatin. This study aims to evaluate the association between serum adiponectin and myostatin levels and identify independent factors using body composition and metabolic parameters in patients with obesity.

Methods: Overall, 148 patients (age, 45.

Changes in Body Composition and Whole Blood DNA Methylation Among Japanese Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Weight-Loss Program.

Objective: DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that regulates gene expression. The obesity-related () gene is the first gene found to be associated with fat mass and obesity. However, no studies have examined the relationship between weight-loss intervention effect and methylation in obese individuals with whole blood DNA.

The effects of toe grip training on physical performance and cognitive function of nursing home residents.

Background: Toe grip-related training requires individuals to actively exercise muscles that are not frequently used; therefore, it may improve not only toe grip strength but also cognitive function. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of toe grip-related training on predictors of physical performance and cognitive function in nursing home residents.

Methods: A total of 35 nursing home residents (35 left and 35 right feet; mean age, 82.

Toe grip strength in middle-aged individuals as a risk factor for falls.

Background: Toe grip strength is the force of a toe on a surface. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between falls in middle-aged individuals and physical strength factors such as toe grip strength and knee extension strength.

Methods: The subjects were 194 middle-aged individuals (388 feet) who were independent in daily life, received no nursing care, and participated in a health sports event organized by a sports club.

Effects of Body Weight Reduction on Serum Irisin and Metabolic Parameters in Obese Subjects.

Background: Irisin is a myokine implicated in lipid and glucose metabolism. The objective of this study is to examine the effect of a body weight reduction on the serum irisin level and physical indicators in obese Japanese patients without diabetes.

Methods: The subjects were 22 patients (male/female, 5/17; age, 46.

Importance of Lean Muscle Maintenance to Improve Insulin Resistance by Body Weight Reduction in Female Patients with Obesity.

Background: It has recently been suggested that skeletal muscle has an important role in insulin resistance in obesity, in addition to exercise tolerance and the fat index. The aim of this study was to identify body composition factors that contribute to improvement of insulin resistance in female patients with obesity who reduce body weight.

Methods: We studied 92 female obese patients (age 40.

Psychological factors that promote behavior modification by obese patients.

Background: The weight-loss effect of team medical care in which counseling is provided by clinical psychologists was investigated in an university hospital obesity (OB) clinic. Nutritional and exercise therapy were also studied. In our previous study, we conducted a randomized, controlled trial with obese patients and confirmed that subjects who received counseling lost significantly more weight than those in a non-counseling group.