The Combined Effects of Genetic Variation in the CNDP1 and CNDP2 Genes and Dietary Carbohydrate and Carotene Intake on Obesity Risk.

Background/aims: It is possible that carnosinase (CNDP1) and cellular nonspecific dipeptidase (CNDP2) have important roles in protecting cells and tissues against the damage of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress and subsequent inflammation are key factors in the development of common chronic metabolic diseases, such as obesity. We aimed to investigate the combined effects of genetic variations in CNDP1 and CNDP2 and dietary carbohydrate and carotene intake on obesity risk.

Impact of Interactions Between Self-Reported Psychological Stress and Habitual Exercise on the Dietary Intake of Japanese Men and Women: a Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Modifying lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise can reduce the risk of cancer. Psychological stress (PS) might be indirectly associated with cancer because it alters lifestyle factors. However, the relationship among these variables has not been fully investigated.

Positive linear dose-response relationships, but no J-shaped relationship, between drinking habits and estimated glomerular filtration rate in middle-aged Japanese men.

The relationship between drinking frequency and amount of alcohol consumption (i.e., drinking habits) and the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unclear.

Serum Fatty Acid Binding Protein 4 Concentrations Are Positively and Independently Associated with Blood Pressure and Abdominal Fat among Parameters in Health Check-Ups in Ordinary Middle-Aged Japanese Males.

We wished to examine potential associations among blood concentrations of fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) 4 and parameters in health check-ups such as abdominal fat area (AFA) and blood pressure (BP) in middle-aged Japanese males. We conducted a cross-sectional study of males who participated in health check-ups in Japan. We excluded participants diagnosed with metabolic diseases by the time of their check-up.

Association between Smoking Status and Food and Nutrient Consumption in Japanese: a Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: In Japan, in comparison with the rest of the world the death rate of lung cancer is low although the smoking rate is relatively high. This is the so-called "Japanese smoking paradox". A healthy diet is proposed to attenuate the risk without quitting smoking.

Plasma TNF-α Is Associated with Inflammation and Nutrition Status in Community-Dwelling Japanese Elderly.

Inflammation has been suggested to play an important role in age-related chronic diseases and disability, and it is associated with nutritional status including obesity and malnutrition. While numerous studies have examined the validity of inflammatory markers in the population studies in Caucasian elderly people, very little information is available for the factors affecting inflammatory markers in Asian elderly people. Among inflammatory markers frequently used for the studies of aging, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) is produced mainly by macrophages, and contributes to production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), thus directing a chronic inflammatory process in the body.

Interactions between psychological stress and drinking status in relation to diet among middle-aged men and women: a large-scale cross-sectional study in Japan.

The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between psychological stress (PS) and drinking status in relation to diet among middle-aged Japanese men and women in a large-scale cross-sectional study. The study population included 5,587 middle-aged Japanese men and 2,718 middle-aged Japanese women who underwent annual health checkups. The subjects were divided into 2 groups (non-drinkers and drinkers) and classified as having low, moderate, or high self-reported PS levels.

Plasma sE-selectin level is positively correlated with neutrophil count and diastolic blood pressure in Japanese men.

Increased levels of circulating soluble type of E-selectin (sE-selectin), neutrophil counts and blood pressure are associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In this study, we conducted a cross-sectional study of men who participated in health check-ups, and selected those who were not diagnosed with or being treated for metabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and lipid abnormality according to the health check-ups. We measured their basic clinical parameters including blood pressure and neutrophil count, plasma sE-selectin concentration and lifestyle factors, and assessed their interrelations by multivariate linear regression (MLR) analysis.

Self-reported faster eating is positively associated with accumulation of visceral fat in middle-aged apparently healthy Japanese men.

Purpose: Faster eating is positively associated with body mass index in apparently healthy Japanese populations. In the present study, we examined the associations between self-reported rate of eating and visceral and subcutaneous fat areas in apparently healthy middle-aged Japanese men.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of men who participated in health checkups in Japan.

The combined effects of genetic variations in the GPR120 gene and dietary fat intake on obesity risk.

Obesity is a complex multifactorial disorder resulting from the action and interaction of many genetic factors and environmental factors. Recently, it has become clear that inflammation is a key feature of obesity. Long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have anti-inflammatory effects, and the G protein-coupled receptor GPR120 was reported to mediate the anti-inflammatory effects of ω-3 PUFAs.

The combined effects of genetic variation in the SIRT1 gene and dietary intake of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids on serum LDL-C and HDL-C levels: a population based study.

Background: Dyslipidemia due to high total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, or low HDL-cholesterol is an important risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). Both SIRT1 and PUFAs can influence the expression of genes for nuclear receptors and transcription factors related to lipid metabolism such as LXRα, LXRβ, PPARα, SREBP-1c.

Methods: A total of 707 Japanese males and 723 females were randomly selected from the participants who visited a medical center for routine medical check-ups.

Associations between leukocyte counts and cardiovascular disease risk factors in apparently healthy Japanese men.

Increased leukocyte counts, particularly white blood cell and neutrophil counts, are reportedly associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and mortality in subjects with acute and moderate coronary diseases. However, few reports have determined the associations between leukocyte subset (i.e.

Self-reported rate of eating is associated with higher circulating ALT activity in middle-aged apparently healthy Japanese men.

Purpose: Elevated circulating activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), a marker for liver injury, and the lifestyle of a higher rate of eating in healthy and preclinical subjects are associated with increased risk of obesity and diabetes. In this study, we examined the associations between self-reported rate of eating and circulating ALT activity in middle-aged apparently healthy Japanese men.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 3,929 apparently healthy men aged 40-59 years (mean ± SD age, 49.

Age-related changes in serum amino acids concentrations in healthy individuals.

Background: Serum amino acids, part of a pool of free amino acids, are influenced by metabolism and disease. Few reports exist describing their function and concentrations in serum. Our study aimed to determine age- and gender-related differences in serum amino acid concentrations in healthy Japanese patients, focusing on their inclusion in body proteins.

The combined effect of the T2DM susceptibility genes is an important risk factor for T2DM in non-obese Japanese: a population based case-control study.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder. Recently, several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified many novel susceptibility loci for T2DM, and indicated that there are common genetic causes contributing to the susceptibility to T2DM in multiple populations worldwide. In addition, clinical and epidemiological studies have indicated that obesity is a major risk factor for T2DM.

The combination of genetic variations in the PRDX3 gene and dietary fat intake contribute to obesity risk.

Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the antioxidant capacity of the cell. This imbalance and an excess of ROS induce tissue/cellular damage, which are implicated in chronic inflammation disorders such as obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndromes. Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are the most abundant and ancient cellular antioxidant proteins that help to control intracellular peroxide levels and ROS-dependent signaling.

Variations in the WNK1 gene modulates the effect of dietary intake of sodium and potassium on blood pressure determination.

WNK lysine-deficient protein kinase 1 (WNK1) is a member of the WNK family of serine/threonine kinases with no lysine (K), and these kinases have been implicated as important modulators of salt homeostasis in the kidney. It is well known that high dietary sodium and low dietary potassium have been implicated in the etiology of increased blood pressure. However, the blood pressure response to dietary sodium and potassium intake varies considerably among individuals.