We compared the effects of 12-week programs of resistance training (RT), high-intensity interval aerobic training (HIAT), and moderate-intensity continuous aerobic training (MICT). The primary goal was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of the exercise modalities for the management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A total of 61 sedentary obese men with NAFLD were randomized into one of the following exercise regimens (RT, HIAT, or MICT). Hepatic fat content was decreased to a similar extent in the RT, HIAT, and MICT groups (−14.3% vs. −13.7% vs. −14.3%) without significant changes in weight and visceral fat. The gene expression levels of fatty acid synthesis were significantly decreased in the subjects’ monocytes. Hepatic stiffness was decreased only in the HIAT group (−16.8%). The stiffness change was associated with restored Kupffer cell phagocytic function (+17.8%) and decreased levels of inflammation such as leptin (−13.2%) and ferritin (−14.1%). RT, HIAT, and MICT were equally effective in reducing hepatic fat content, but only HIAT was effective in improving hepatic stiffness and restoring Kupffer cell function. These benefits appeared to be independent of detectable weight and visceral fat reductions; the benefits were acquired through the modulation of in vivo fatty acid metabolism and obesity-related inflammatory conditions.

Recently, the beneficial effects of increased physical activity (PA) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obese subjects were reported. However, the optimal strength and volume of PA in lifestyle modification to improve NAFLD pathophysiology and be recommended as an appropriate management of this condition are unclear. The primary goal of this retrospective study was to estimate the beneficial effects of a varying volume of moderate to vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) on the improvement of NAFLD. A total of 169 obese, middle-aged men were enrolled in a 12-week weight reduction program through lifestyle modification consisting of dietary restrictions plus aerobic exercise. Among these obese subjects, 40 performed MVPA for <150 minÁwk 21 , 42 performed MVPA for 150-250 minÁwk 21 , and 87 performed MVPA for >250 minÁwk 21 . The subjects in the MVPA !250 minÁwk 21 group, in comparison with those in the MVPA <250 minÁwk 21 group, showed significantly attenuated levels of hepatic steatosis (231.8% versus 223.2%). This attenuation was likely independent of the detectable weight reduction. MVPA for !250 minÁwk 21 in comparison with that for <150 minÁwk 21 led to a significant decrease in the abdominal visceral adipose tissue severity (240.6% versus 212.9%), levels of ferritin (213.6% versus 11.5%), and lipid peroxidation (215.1% versus 22.8%), and a significant increase in the adiponectin levels (117.1% versus 15.6%). In association with these changes, the gene expression levels of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells also significantly decreased and increased, respectively. Conclusion: MVPA for !250 minÁwk 21 as part of lifestyle management improves NAFLD pathophysiology in obese men. The benefits seem to be acquired through reducing inflammation and oxidative stress levels and altering fatty acid metabolism. (HEPATOLOGY 2015;61:1205-1215

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Objectives: This study aimed to describe the sleep quantity, sleep quality, and daily rest periods (DRPs) of Japanese permanent daytime workers. Methods: Information about the usual DRP, sleep quantity, and sleep quality (Japanese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: PSQI-J) of 3,867 permanent daytime workers in Japan was gathered through an Internet-based survey. This information was analyzed and divided into the following eight DRP groups: <10, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and ≥16 h. Results: The sleep durations for workers in the <10, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and ≥16 h DRP groups were found to be 5.3, 5.9, 6.1, 6.3, 6.5, 6.7, 6.7, and 6.9 h, respectively. The trend analysis revealed a significant linear trend as the shorter the DRP, the shorter was the sleep duration. The PSQI-J scores for the <10, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and ≥16 h DRP groups were 7.1, 6.7, 6.7, 6.3, 6.0 (5.999), 5.6, 5.2, and 5.2, respectively. The trend analysis revealed a significant linear trend as the shorter the DRP, the lower was the sleep quality. Conclusions: This study described sleep quantity, sleep quality, and DRP in Japanese daytime workers. It was found that a shorter DRP was associated with poorer sleep quantity as well as quality.

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Background: Sedentary behavior (SB) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are important issues in occupational health. Developing a questionnaire to concurrently assess workers' SB and CRF could fundamentally improve epidemiological research. The Worker's Living Activity-time Questionnaire (WLAQ) was developed previously to assess workers' sitting time. WLAQ can be modified to evaluate workers' CRF if additional physical activity (PA) data such as PA frequency, duration, and intensity are collected. Methods: A total of 198 working adults (93 women and 105 men; age, 30-60 years) completed anthropometric measurements, a treadmill exercise test for measuring maximal oxygen consumption (VO 2max), and modified WLAQ (m-WLAQ, which included questions about PA data additional to the original questions). Multiple regression analyses were performed to develop prediction equations for VO 2max. The generated models were cross-validated using the predicted residual error sum of squares method. Among the participants, the data of 97 participants who completed m-WLAQ twice after a 1-week interval were used to calculate intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the test-retest reliability analyses. Results: Age (r = − 0.29), sex (r = 0.48), body mass index (BMI, r = − 0.20), total sitting time (r = − 0.15), and PA score (total points for PA data, r = 0.47) were significantly correlated with VO 2max. The models that included age, sex, and BMI accounted for 43% of the variance in measured VO 2max [standard error of the estimate (SEE) = 5.04 ml•kg − 1 •min − 1 ]. These percentages increased to 59% when the PA score was included in the models (SEE = 4.29 ml•kg − 1 •min − 1). Cross-validation analyses demonstrated good stability of the VO 2max prediction models, while systematic underestimation and overestimation of VO 2max were observed in individuals with high and low fitness, respectively. The ICC of the PA score was 0.87 (0.82-0.91), indicating excellent reliability. Conclusions: The PA score obtained using m-WLAQ, rather than sitting time, correlated well with measured VO 2max. The equation model that included the PA score as well as age, sex, and BMI had a favorable validity for estimating VO 2max. Thus, m-WLAQ can be a useful questionnaire to concurrently assess workers' SB and CRF, which makes it a reasonable resource for future epidemiological surveys on occupational health.

Background and purposePeriodontal disease is closely related to lifestyle-related diseases and obesity. It is widely known that moderate exercise habits lead to improvement in lifestyle-related diseases and obesity. However, little research has been undertaken into how exercise habits affect periodontal disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of exercise habits on periodontal diseases and metabolic pathology.MethodsWe conducted a prospective intervention research for 12 weeks. The subjects were 71 obese men who participated in an exercise and/or dietary intervention program. Fifty subjects were assigned to exercise interventions (exercise intervention group) and 21 subjects were assigned to dietary interventions (dietary intervention group). This research was conducted before and after each intervention program.ResultsIn the exercise intervention group, the number of teeth with a probing pocket depth (PPD) ≥4 mm significantly decreased from 14.4% to 5.6% (P<0.001), and the number of teeth with bleeding on probing (BOP) significantly decreased from 39.8% to 14.4% (P<0.001). The copy counts of Tannerella forsythia and Treponema denticola decreased significantly (P=0.001). A positive correlation was found between the change in the copy count of T. denticola and the number of teeth with PPD ≥4 mm (P=0.003) and the number of teeth with BOP (P=0.010). A positive correlation was also found between the change in the copy count of T. denticola and body weight (P=0.008), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=0.049), and fasting insulin (P=0.041). However, in the dietary intervention group the copy count of T. denticola decreased significantly (P=0.007) and there was no correlation between the number of periodontal disease-causing bacteria and PPD and BOP.ConclusionOur results are the first to show that exercise might contribute to improvements in periodontal disease.