This study aimed to evaluate the association between locomotive syndrome (LS) and daily physical activity (PA) in community-dwelling older adults. This cross-sectional study included 80 healthy Japanese older adults (40 men and 40 women; age: 60–79 years). Habitual daily PA was evaluated using a triaxial wrist accelerometer. Participants were divided into two groups based on the results of the two-step test, stand-up test, and 25-question geriatric locomotive function scale. Binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the statistical relationships between daily PA and category of LS, adjusting for age from adjusted odds ratio (adjusted OR) with the 95 percent confidence intervals (95%CI) and bootstrap 95%CI. The mean step count and time spent on moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were significantly higher among non-LS participants than among LS participants in women, but not in men. Logistic regression analyses indicated that spending longer than 28 min/day on MVPA was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of LS relative to short time category under 28 min/day in women (adjusted OR = 0.12, 95%CI = 0.02–0.59, bootstrap 95%CI = 0.01–0.43), but not in men. This study suggests that in community-dwelling older women, those with higher MVPA had lower odds of LS, and daily MVPA was associated with LS, but not in men. Therefore, the associations between LS and daily physical activity were partly dependent on sex differences.

The effects of prenatal exposure to household pesticides on fetal and neonatal growth have not been fully clarified. The present study aims to determine the effects of prenatal exposure to pesticides on neonates’ body size and growth during the first month. This study included 93,718 pairs of pregnant women and their children from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. Participants completed self-reporting questionnaires during their second or third trimesters on their demographic characteristics and frequency of pesticide use during pregnancy. Child weight, length, and sex were obtained from medical record transcripts. Birth weight and length, as well as weight and length changes over the first month, were estimated using an analysis of covariance. Frequency of exposure to almost all pesticides had no effects on birth weight and length. However, we found small but significant associations (i) between the use of fumigation insecticides and decreased birth weight, and (ii) between frequencies of exposure to pyrethroid pesticides, especially mosquito coils/mats, and suppression of neonatal length growth. Prenatal exposure to household pesticides, especially those containing pyrethroids, might adversely influence fetal and postnatal growth trajectories.

To discuss appropriate physical activity (PA) levels during pregnancy, this prospective cohort study examined the relationships between PA levels before and during pregnancy and physical and mental health status. Fixed data for 104,102 pregnant women were used from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, of which data for 82,919 women were analyzed after excluding women with multiple birth and pregnancy complications. PA levels were measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. The 8-Item Short Form Health Survey was used to measure outcomes. Logistic regression with multiple imputations showed that moderate PA for over 720 min/wk and vigorous PA before pregnancy were associated with poorer mental health in the first trimester (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.087–1.376. Walking in the second and third trimesters was associated with better physical and mental health (AOR: 0.855–0.932). Moderate PA over 1080 min/wk and vigorous PA in the second and third trimesters were associated with poorer mental health (AOR: 1.223–1.873). Increases over 4135.4 MET–min/wk and decreases in PA levels were associated with poorer mental and physical health (AOR: 1.070–1.333). Namely, pregnant women receiving health benefits prefer continuous walking in addition to avoiding vigorous PA and excessive changes in PA levels during pregnancy.

日本は自然災害の経験を通して，防災教育の良好事例を蓄積してきた．その中でも，ゲーミフィケーションを活用した防災教育の良好事例は，参加者のモチベーションと教育効果を高める上で有益である．そこで本研究では，防災教育を目的に使用する課題解決ゲームを作成し，科学コミュニケーションの枠組（AEIOU定義：発見，楽しみ，興味，意見形成，理解）から教育効果を検証した．本研究の対象者は大学生26名（男性12名，女性14名）とした．教育効果の検証には，SEC-AEIOUの項目を防災リテラシーの文脈に改変した項目を作成して使用した．t検定（対応あり）の結果，課題解決ゲームの実施後に発見，楽しみ，興味の得点が有意に向上した．さらに，災害に関する意見形成の変容が42.2％の参加者に見られた．その一方，理解の得点では有意差が認められなかった．本研究はゲーミフィケーションを活用したことで，防災リテラシーを高める新たなツールの作成に成功したといえる．課題解決ゲームの教育効果をさらに高めるためには，ゲーミフィケーションのさらなる活用，コンテンツの改良，ファシリテーションの改善が必要になると考えられる．