[Development of a Risk Prediction Model and a Simple Assessment Sheet for Screening Undernutrition Using Factors Related to Food Environment Accessibility among Older Adults Living Alone in Semi-mountainous Areas].

Objectives: In addition to an aging population, the number of single-person households is increasing in semi-mountainous areas. The nutritional status of older adults living alone has also been studied as they are prone to undernutrition. In this study, we aimed to develop a risk prediction model and a simple assessment sheet for screening undernutrition using factors related to food environment accessibility among older adults living alone in semi-mountainous areas.

The gut microbiota genus Blautia is associated with skeletal muscle mass reduction in community-dwelling older Japanese adults: the Wakayama Study.

Purpose: This cross-sectional study examined the gut microbiota species associated with skeletal muscle mass reduction in a community-based sample of older Japanese adults.

Methods: The study included 744 participants (320 men and 424 women) aged 65-89 years (mean age: 73 years) with no history of treatment for colorectal, chronic kidney, or liver diseases. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was performed to estimate the appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) of each participant.

Age- and sex-related reference values for central blood pressure parameters in middle-aged and older Japanese adults: the Wakayama study.

Central blood pressure (BP) is more strongly associated with cardiovascular events than brachial BP. Few studies have described age-related changes in central BP in the general Japanese population. This study aimed to provide reference values for central BP parameters according to the age and sex, using data from 2964 participants aged 40-89 years (mean age: 60 years) who had no history of overt cardiovascular or chronic kidney disease and had not received antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, or hypoglycemic treatments.

[Development of an exercise program for sedentary behavior in desk workers].

Purpose: The effects of lacking exercise due to increased sedentary behavior on physical and mental health are attracting attention. We developed an exercise program for sedentary behavior in desk workers and verified whether decreased body pain and weakness and improved subjective health are short-term effects.

Subjects And Methods: We developed a 3-min exercise program comprising three among four types of exercises; standing on one leg (1 min on each side), squats (1 min), stretching (1 min), and deep breathing with eyes closed (1 min).

Strengths within the Community Perceived by Older Adults Living Alone in a Semi-Mountainous Rural Region: A Qualitative Study.

It is recommended that health promotion activities in the community focus on residents' strengths. Hence, this study explored the community strengths perceived by older adults living alone in a semi-mountainous rural region of Japan. A qualitative, descriptive approach was used.

A Review of the Literature on the Regional Strengths Perceived by Older People Living in Local Japanese Communities.

As a super-aging society, health promotion activities in local Japanese communities are increasingly essential. Developing the health-promotion programs must include the perspective of older people residing in these communities and what they believe to be their regional strengths. This study aimed to clarify the elements of regional strengths perceived by older people living in local Japanese communities from the literature review.

Effect of lower-extremity muscle power training on muscle strength, balance function and walking ability in older adults with heart failure: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: This study investigated the combined effect of lower-extremity muscle power training and regular cardiac rehabilitation on muscle strength, balance function, and walking ability of older adults with heart failure.

Methods: Thirty-one patients, comprising 17 males and 14 females, aged between 66 and 89 years and diagnosed with non-severe heart failure, were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 15) or control group (n = 16). Both groups participated in a 12-week regular rehabilitation program, with the intervention group receiving additional lower-extremity muscle power training.

Virtual Reality Images of the Home Are Useful for Patients With Hospital-Based Palliative Care: Prospective Observational Study With Analysis by Text Mining.

Background: Malignancy patients who need long-term hospitalization can feel loneliness affecting their quality of life. The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused visiting restrictions that could mean patients who might be missing out on family support and palliative care, therefore, need to adapt and change. We used virtual reality (VR) technology with the aim of reducing feelings of loneliness among these patients.

[Development of a scale to evaluate the rest levels of male workers].

Objectives　"Rest" has two aspects: "repose," to recover from physical or mental fatigue, and "restore," to re-establish physical, mental, and social health. Many male workers work for prolonged hours, and despite stress, they do not apply coping behaviors, unlike female workers. Consequently, taking sufficient rest is difficult for male workers.

Appendicular Muscle Mass Index was Stronger than Body Mass Index in Association with Atherosclerosis in the Community-Dwelling Elderly.

Aims: Low muscle mass is associated with advanced atherosclerosis. However, only very few studies on the elderly have investigated a dose-response relationship between muscle mass and atherosclerosis. Furthermore, whether the relationship between muscle mass and atherosclerosis is stronger than that between body mass index (BMI) and atherosclerosis among the elderly population remains to be determined.

Factors Related to Nutritional Status of Single Older Residents in Semi-Mountainous Rural Regions of Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Japan's notably high aging rate presents the risk of malnutrition. This study aimed to clarify the nutritional status and factors related to the nutritional status of single older residents in a semi-mountainous rural region of Japan. Using a cross-sectional study design, surveys were administered to older adults in the semi-mountainous rural region in the area of Kochi Prefecture, Japan.

Depressive symptoms among Thai male seafarers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Prevalence of depressive symptoms among seafarers is higher than the general population because of their unique work conditions. Factors that can be changed must be considered and promptly addressed in order to decrease the prevalence of depression. This study aims to clarify the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its related factors among Thai seafarers in an effort to contribute to policies and to prevent depression among Thai seafarers.

[Factors Related to Work Engagement in Occupational Health Nurses: From both Aspects of Work Environmental and Individual Factors].

Objectives: The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) states that it is an important issue to realize a work environment where people find their job worth doing, and the MHLW utilizes work engagement as the concept of a job worth doing. In this study, we aimed to clarify the factors related to work engagement in occupational health nurses from both aspects of work environmental and individual factors.

Methods: An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 2,172 occupational health nurses who belonged to the Japan Society for Occupational Health and were in charge of practical work.

[Usefulness of Simple Dietary Check Sheet as Screening Tool to Assess the Risk of Muscle Mass Reduction in Community-Dwelling Middle-Aged and Older Adults].

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of a simple dietary check sheet to assess the risk of muscle mass reduction in middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: The study participants comprised 1,272 community-dwelling individuals aged 50-89 years (mean age; 68.7 years).

[Development of a Risk Prediction Model and a Simple Assessment Sheet for Cold Disorder (Hiesho) in Middle-aged and Older Adults].

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to develop a risk prediction model and a simple assessment sheet for cold disorder (hiesho) in middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: The 889 participants in this study were from a community-dwelling general population (mean age, 62.4±8.

Effects of cigarette smoking on the association between respiratory muscle strength and skeletal muscle mass in middle-aged and older adults: the Wakayama Study.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine whether cumulative smoking exposure affects the association between peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and skeletal muscle mass in middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: The study participants comprised 832 community-dwelling individuals aged 50-89 years (mean age: 69 years) without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was performed to estimate the skeletal muscle mass of each participant.

Mental health problems and their related factors among seafarers: a scoping review.

Background: Seafarers are often reported to be engaged in a dangerous physical and psychosocial work environment. However, mental health status among seafarers has not been focused on compared with physical health issues. Systematic, comprehensive reviews of mental health problems and their relevant factors are lacking.

[Relationship between Work Improvement and Work Engagement in Financial Industry: Examination Based on the Level of Sense of Coherence].

Objective: In this study, we aimed to clarify the relationship between workplace improvement and work engagement based on the level of sense of coherence.

Methods: An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted on 1,845 regular employees in a financial industry (valid response rate, 78.5%).

[Trends of Implementation of Nonsmoking at Eating and Drinking Establishments One Year before and after April 2020: Consideration of the Status of Implementation of the Amendment Bill for the Health Promotion Act of Japan].

Objective: In this study, we aimed to clarify the transition to the implementation of smoking prohibition at eating and drinking establishments one year before and after April 2020, the time when they became "nonsmoking" in principle following the implementation of the amendment bill for the Health Promotion Act of Japan.

Methods: The total number of nonsmoking/smoking eating and drinking establishments by industry were obtained using the data from "Tabelog." The number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 by the polymerase chain reaction test on the day of the survey nationwide and the bankruptcy status of the companies (eating and drinking establishments, etc.

[Association of Cigarette Smoking with Muscle Mass Reduction and Low Muscle Strength in Community-Dwelling Elderly Men].

Objectives: Recently, attention has been paid to the impact of cigarette smoking on skeletal muscles, as its underlying pathophysiological mechanism has been gradually elucidated. In this study, we aimed to examine whether cigarette smoking is associated with muscle mass reduction and low muscle strength in elderly men.

Methods: The study participants comprised 417 community-dwelling elderly men (aged 73±6 years) without severe glucose intolerance, chronic kidney disease, or liver disease.

Excessive alcohol intake and liver fibrosis are associated with skeletal muscle mass reduction in elderly men: the Wakayama study.

Background: Excessive alcohol intake complicated by liver dysfunction has been presumed to affect skeletal muscles. This study aimed to examine the association between excessive alcohol intake, liver fibrosis, and loss of skeletal muscle mass in elderly men.

Methods: The study participants comprised 799 community-dwelling elderly men (age, 71 ± 3 years) with no history of treatment for liver disease.

[Factors Related to Attitudes toward Responses to Stress Survey in Stress Check Program in Financial Industry].

Objective: The purpose of this study is to clarify the factors related to attitudes toward responses to a stress survey in the Stress Check Program, which is used to screen for workers with high psychosocial stress at the workplace.

Methods: An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted on 1,800 regular staff member of a financial industry (valid response rate: 72.0%).

The prevalence of orthostatic dysregulation among newly graduated female nurses after employment and its associations with autonomic nervous function, stress, and depressive symptoms.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the prevalence of orthostatic dysregulation among newly graduated female nurses after employment and its associations with autonomic nervous function, stress, and depressive symptoms.

Methods: This follow-up study included 48 newly graduated female nurses (aged 22 ± 3 years) employed in acute care hospitals. The orthostatic dysregulation symptoms were evaluated using a screening checklist.

[The effects of writing and reading aloud the positive events that take place in the workplace on work engagement and the occupational stress of care workers in welfare facilities for long-term elderly care: A crossover trial].

Objectives: A number of earlier studies have pointed out that care workers in nursing homes for the elderly experience high levels of stress. In recent years, work engagement has been attracting attention as a concept that focuses on the positive psychological aspects of workers. In this study, we examined whether writing and reading aloud positive events that take place in the workplace would be useful as a measure to improve work engagement and to reduce occupational stress among care workers in such facilities.

[Association of Annual Transition of Implementation of Nonsmoking at Eating and Drinking Establishments with Indices on Population/Household and Economy/Labor: Examination Using Prefectural Data].

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship of the annual transition of implementation of nonsmoking at eating and drinking establishments with indices of population/household and economy/labor by prefecture.

Methods: The prefectural rates of eating and drinking establishments implementing nonsmoking (hereafter, nonsmoking rate) were computed in a year using the data from "Tabelog". Forty-seven prefectures were classified by hierarchical cluster analysis into "prefecture clusters" 1 to 5 in descending order of the median of nonsmoking rates.