Multi-scaling allometry in human development, mammalian morphology, and tree growth.

Various animal and plant species exhibit allometric relationships among their respective traits, wherein one trait undergoes expansion as a power-law function of another due to constraints acting on growth processes. For instance, the acknowledged consensus posits that tree height scales with the two-thirds power of stem diameter. In the context of human development, it is posited that body weight scales with the second power of height.

Allometric multi-scaling of weight-for-height relation in children and adolescents: Revisiting the theoretical basis of body mass index of thinness and obesity assessment.

The body mass index (BMI), defined as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, has been widely used to assess thinness and obesity in all age groups, including children and adolescents. However, the validity and utility of BMI as a reliable measure of nutritional health have been questioned. This study discusses the mathematical conditions that support the validity of BMI based on population statistics.

Age- and height-dependent bias of underweight and overweight assessment standards for children and adolescents.

Background: Precision in evaluating underweight and overweight status among children and adolescents is paramount for averting health and developmental issues. Existing standards for these assessments have faced scrutiny regarding their validity. This study investigates the age and height dependencies within the international standards set by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), relying on body mass index (BMI), and contrasts them with Japanese standards utilizing the percentage of overweight (POW).

Association of body size distortion with low body mass index in female patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease.

Background: We have previously reported that female patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM-LD) are thinner and eat less than healthy controls. Therefore, we hypothesized that their thinness is associated with body size misperception. The aim of this study was to clarify whether patients' body size perception (BSP) is associated with body mass index (BMI) independent of potential confounders.

Association of a pro-inflammatory diet and gestational diabetes mellitus with maternal anemia and hemoglobin levels during pregnancy: a prospective observational case-control study.

Anemia is prevalent in pregnant women, and the causes include inadequate diet, increased demand for iron, and inflammation. We hypothesized that gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and hepcidin-related gene polymorphisms may contribute to maternal anemia and that an anti-inflammatory diet can alleviate this negative effect. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of an inflammatory diet, GDM, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in hepcidin-related genes, which are key regulators of iron, with maternal anemia.

Association of Social Networking Sites Use with Actual and Ideal Body Shapes, and Eating Behaviors in Healthy Young Japanese Women.

Recent reports have associated the use of social networking sites (SNS) with the drive for thinness in young women; however, its influence on their actual body shape and eating behaviors (EB) remains unclear. We aimed to examine the effect of SNS use on body mass index (BMI), body image (BI), and EB in young women. Participants included 196 healthy women (20-29 years) who answered questions about their SNS use, height, weight, BI and EB via a web-based survey.

Nutritional status in female patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease and its association with disease severity.

Background: In women, slender body habitus has been reported to be one of the predisposing factors underlying the development and poor prognosis of non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM-LD). Given the lack of nutritional data contributing to treatment strategies, we aimed to clarify the nutritional status of female patients with NTM-LD and its association with disease severity.

Methods: In this single-center observational study, we enrolled 81 female outpatients with NTM-LD.

Match or mismatch between chronotype and sleep-wake cycle and their association with lean body mass gain among male high-school baseball players.

For athletes, it is important to acquire lean body mass (LBM) involving the skeletal muscle mass during their growth periods; however, the influence of chronotype on LBM gain remains unclear. We therefore aimed to investigate whether chronotype, sleep-wake cycle on weekdays (SWC-W), and their interaction contribute to LBM gain among adolescent male athletes in a 4-month intervention study. The participants were 45 male high-school baseball players.

Association of Dietary Change during Pregnancy with Large-for-Gestational Age Births: A Prospective Observational Study.

Being born with large birthweight is considered as a risk of non-communicable diseases later in life. However, it is not fully understood what kind of maternal dietary intake during pregnancy affect large birthweight. Therefore, we examined the association of dietary intakes and its changes during pregnancy with large-for-gestational-age (LGA) births in Japanese pregnant women.

Full-term low birth weight infants have differentially hypermethylated DNA related to immune system and organ growth: a comparison with full-term normal birth weight infants.

Objective: Low birth weight (LBW) is a major public health issue as it increases the risk of noncommunicable diseases throughout life. However, the genome-wide DNA methylation patterns of full-term LBW infants (FT-LBWs) are still unclear. This exploratory study aimed to analyze the DNA methylation differences in FT-LBWs compared with those in full-term normal birth weight infants (FT-NBWs) whose mothers were nonsmokers and had no complications.

Association between socioeconomic status and small-for-gestational-age in Japan: A single center retrospective cohort study.

Aim: Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) status has negative health consequences in neonates and later life. Low socioeconomic status (SES) is a reported risk factor for adverse birth outcomes, such as SGA and preterm birth (PTB). The present study investigated whether maternal SES is associated with adverse outcomes in Japanese pregnant women.

Maslinic acid derived from olive fruit in combination with resistance training improves muscle mass and mobility functions in the elderly.

Maslinic acid, derived from olive fruit, reduces pro-inflammation cytokines, which are involved in muscle fiber atrophy. Therefore, the maslinic acid ingestion may enhance the muscular response to resistance training through anti-inflammatory action. We therefore conducted a parallel, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial that examined whether a combination of maslinic acid supplementation and resistance training improve mobility functions in community-dwelling elderly persons.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Elevated Liver Enzymes in Japanese Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder among reproductive-aged women. While PCOS is associated with an increased risk of obesity and insulin resistance, little is known regarding the prevalence of and risk factors for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among Japanese women with PCOS. We estimated the prevalence of and risk factors for elevated liver enzymes, as the index of NAFLD, in Japanese women with PCOS.

The CLOCK 3111T/C single nucleotide polymorphism and daytime fluctuations of gastric motility in healthy young women: A preliminary study.

The 3111T/C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput (CLOCK) gene reportedly affects gastric motility before breakfast. It is of interest to know whether this SNP can affect the motility during the daytime. We investigated the association between the CLOCK 3111T/C SNP and several gastric motility parameters during the time period from 8:00 to 20:00 in 34 young women with scheduled meals.

Oral Carbonation Attenuates Feeling of Hunger and Gastric Myoelectrical Activity in Young Women.

We previously reported that carbonated water ingestion induced fullness and gastric motility. In order to determine whether such satiating effects occur through oral carbonic stimulation alone, we conducted modified sham-feeding (SF) tests (carbonated water ingestion (CW), water ingestion (W), carbonated water sham-feeding (CW-SF), and water sham-feeding (W-SF)), employing an equivalent volume and standardized temperature of carbonated and plain water, in a randomized crossover design. Thirteen young women began fasting at 10 p.

Color of hot soup modulates postprandial satiety, thermal sensation, and body temperature in young women.

The color of food is known to modulate not only consumers' motivation to eat, but also thermal perception. Here we investigated whether the colors of hot soup can influence thermal sensations and body temperature, in addition to the food acceptability and appetite. Twelve young female participants consumed commercial white potage soup, modified to yellow or blue by adding food dyes, at 9 a.

Association of evening smartphone use with cardiac autonomic nervous activity after awakening in adolescents living in high school dormitories.

Purpose: Smartphones are prevalently used among adolescents; however, nighttime exposure to blue-enriched light, through electric devices, is known to induce delays of the circadian rhythm phases and poor morning somatic conditions. We therefore investigated whether evening smartphone use may affect sleep-wake cycle and cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity after awaking in dormitory students.

Methods: The participants were high school students, living under dormitory rules regarding the curfew, study, meals, lights-out, and wake-up times.

Thorough Mastication Prior to Swallowing Increases Postprandial Satiety and the Thermic Effect of a Meal in Young Women.

There is evidence to support that mastication may contribute to the prevention of weight gain via reduction of appetite sensations and subsequent energy intake. However, the metabolic effect of mastication after consumption of a daily meal, composed of the staple food (rice), soup, main and side dishes, is limited. Therefore, the effect of thorough mastication on greater satiety and the thermic effect of a meal (TEM) was investigated in young women.

Circadian rhythm genes CLOCK and PER3 polymorphisms and morning gastric motility in humans.

Background: Clock genes regulate circadian rhythm and are involved in various physiological processes, including digestion. We therefore investigated the association between the CLOCK 3111T/C single nucleotide polymorphism and the Period3 (PER3) variable-number tandem-repeat polymorphism (either 4 or 5 repeats 54 nt in length) with morning gastric motility.

Methods: Lifestyle questionnaires and anthropometric measurements were performed with 173 female volunteers (mean age, 19.

How does fortification affect the distribution of calcium and vitamin B1 intake at the school lunch for fifth-grade children?

The purpose of this study was to estimate the usual intake distribution of calcium and vitamin B(1) of fifth-grade children based on a 3-d dietary survey and to assess nutrient intake using Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs 2010). A cross-sectional study was undertaken from October 2007 to February 2008 in schools located in Tokyo and Okayama, Japan. A total of 94 fifth-grade children attending 5 elementary schools participated in the study.

The effects of carbonated water upon gastric and cardiac activities and fullness in healthy young women.

Although previous reports suggested that carbonated water drinking was effective against gastrointestinal symptoms, there is little information about the effects of carbonated water on gastric and appetite sensation. We therefore investigated the effect of carbonated water on short-term fullness with respect to gastric and cardiac responses in 19 healthy young women. Each subject was tested on three separate days at approximately 9 a.

The CLOCK 3111T/C SNP is associated with morning gastric motility in healthy young women.

Circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK) molecule plays major roles in circadian rhythmicity and regulates daily physiological processes including digestive activity. Therefore, we hypothesized that the CLOCK 3111T/C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) might have adverse effects on the regulation of gastric motility. Based on the hypothesis, we investigated whether this SNP was associated with morning gastric motility.

The Association Between the Uncoupling Protein-1 Gene A-3826G Polymorphism and High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in A General Japanese Population: A Consideration of the Obesity Status.

Background: Limited studies have shown inconsistent data about the association between the uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) gene A-3826G polymorphism and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. The present study investigated the association between the A-3826G polymorphism and low HDL-cholesterolemia in non-obese and obese subjects.

Methods: Anthropometric and biochemical factors, in addition to genotyping by an allele-specific DNA assay, were measured in 294 community-dwelling Japanese subjects (male/female: 127/167, mean age: 65 years).

Uncoupling protein 1 gene -3826 A/G polymorphism is associated with weight loss on a short-term, controlled-energy diet in young women.

Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) plays an important role in thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue. Previously, we reported an association between -3826 A/G single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter of UCP1 gene and lower thermogenesis in young women, suggesting this SNP has an adverse effect on the regulation of energy balance. Based on the hypothesis that this SNP (G allele) may have resistance against diet-induced weight loss, we examined its effects on anthropometric and metabolic responses to short-term, controlled-energy diet in young women.

Amounts served and consumed of school lunch differed by gender in Japanese elementary schools.

School lunches serve to improve nutritional status and to promote the health of children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the portion sizes of school lunches served and consumed in Japanese elementary schools. In addition, gender difference in servings and consumption were also studied.