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ObjectivesTo examine the association between self-reported eating rate and metabolic syndrome.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingAnnual health checkup at a health check service centre in Japan.ParticipantsA total of 56 865 participants (41 820 male and 15 045 female) who attended a health checkup in 2011 and reported no history of coronary heart disease or stroke.Main outcome measureMetabolic syndrome was defined by the joint of interim statement of the International Diabetes Federation and the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.ResultsIn multiple logistic regression models, eating rate was significantly and positively associated with metabolic syndrome. The multivariable-adjusted ORs (95% CI) for slow, normal and fast were 0.70 (0.62 to 0.79), 1.00 (reference) and 1.61 (1.53 to 1.70), respectively, in men (p for trend <0.001), and 0.74 (0.60 to 0.91), 1.00 (reference) and 1.27 (1.13 to 1.43), respectively, in women (p for trend <0.001). Of metabolic syndrome components, abdominal obesity showed the strongest association with eating rate. The associations of eating rate and metabolic syndrome and its components were largely attenuated after further adjustment for body mass index; however, the association of slow eating with lower odds of high blood pressure (men and women) and hyperglycaemia (men) and that of fast eating with higher odds of lipid abnormality (men) remained statistically significant.ConclusionsResults suggest that eating rate is associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome and that this association is largely accounted for by the difference in body mass according to eating rate.

Objective: To examine the association between the consumption of green tea, coffee and caffeine and depressive symptoms. Design: Cross-sectional study. Consumption of green tea and coffee was ascertained with a validated dietary questionnaire and the amount of caffeine intake was estimated from these beverages. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to compute odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals for depressive symptoms with adjustments for potential confounders. Setting: Two workplaces in north-eastern Kyushu, Japan, in 2009. Subjects: A total of 537 men and women aged 20-68 years. Results: Higher green tea consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms. Compared with participants consuming #1 cup/d, those consuming $4 cups green tea/d had a 51 % significantly lower prevalence odds of having depressive symptoms after adjustment for potential confounders, with significant trend association (P for trend 5 0?01). Further adjustment for serum folate slightly attenuated the association. Coffee consumption was also inversely associated with depressive symptoms ($2 cups/d v. ,1 cup/d: OR 5 0?61; 95 % CI 0?38, 0?98). Multiple-adjusted odds for depressive symptoms comparing the highest with the lowest quartile of caffeine consumption was OR 5 0?57 (95 % CI 0?30, 1?05; P for trend 5 0?02). Conclusions: Results suggest that higher consumption of green tea, coffee and caffeine may confer protection against depression.

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Higher dietary fiber intake from vegetables and fruits may be associated with lower likelihood of having depressive symptoms.

Amino acids have emerged as novel biomarkers for predicting type 2 diabetes (T2D), but the epidemiologic data linking circulating amino acid profiles with T2D are sparse in Asian populations. We conducted a nested case-control study within a cohort of 4,754 nondiabetic Japanese employees who attended a comprehensive health checkup in 2008–2009 and agreed to provide blood samples. During a 5-year follow-up, incident T2D cases were ascertained based on plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and self-report. Two controls matched to each case on sex, age, and the date of serum sampling were randomly selected by using density sampling, resulting in 284 cases and 560 controls with amino acid measures. High concentrations of valine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, alanine, glutamate, ornithine, and lysine were associated with an increased risk of incident T2D, in a linear manner. High glutamine concentrations were associated with a decreased risk of incident T2D. Further adjustment for the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance attenuated these associations. Overall, these amino acids may be novel useful biomarkers in the identification of people at risk of T2D before overt symptoms. Insulin resistance may account for or mediate the relationship between these amino acids and risk of incident T2D.

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