Vaccination could be a key protective measure against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and it is important to understand the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine among the general public. However, there is no study on the acceptance of a COVID-19 vaccine in Japan. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy situation in Japan and assess the factors associated with such issues. This was a cross-sectional study based on an internet survey completed by 2956 people. Participants were asked to indicate how likely they were to get vaccinated for COVID-19. In addition, the participants responded to questions regarding sociodemographic factors, attitudes, and beliefs regarding COVID-19 infection and vaccination. The proportion of participants with a high likelihood of getting a COVID-19 vaccine was 62.1%. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that vaccine acceptance was lower among several sociodemographic groups, such as women, adults aged 20–49 years, and those with a low-income level. Several psychological factors, especially the perceived effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, and willingness to protect others by getting oneself vaccinated, were associated with vaccine acceptance. Our results indicate that the perceived effectiveness of the vaccine and willingness to protect others may play an important role in the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Objectives To examine whether marine-derived n-3 fatty acids (FAs) are associated with less atherosclerosis in Japanese than Whites in the United States. Background Marine-derived n-3 FAs at low levels are cardioprotective through their anti-arrhythmic effect. Methods A population-based cross-sectional study in 281 Japanese, 306 White, and 281 Japanese American men aged 40–49 was conducted to assess intima-media thickness of the carotid artery (IMT), coronary artery calcification (CAC), and serum FAs. Results Japanese in Japan had the lowest levels of atherosclerosis whereas Whites and Japanese Americans had similar levels. Japanese in Japan had twofold higher levels of marine-derived n-3 FAs than Whites and Japanese Americans. Japanese in Japan had significant and non-significant inverse associations of marine-derived n-3 FAs with IMT and CAC prevalence, respectively. The significant inverse association with IMT remained after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Neither Whites nor Japanese Americans had such associations. Significant differences between Japanese in Japan and Whites in multivariable-adjusted IMT (mean difference 39 μm (95% confidence interval (CI), 21 to 57), p<0.001) and CAC prevalence (mean difference 10.7% (95% CI, 2.9 to 18.4), p=0.007) became non-significant after further adjusting for marine-derived n-3 FAs (22 μm (95% CI, −1 to 46), p=0.065 and 5.0 % (95% CI, −5.3 to 15.4), p=0.341, respectively). Conclusions Very high levels of marine-derived n-3 FAs have anti-atherogenic properties independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and may contribute to lower burden of atherosclerosis in Japanese in Japan, which is unlikely due to genetic factors.

Coronary heart disease incidence and mortality remain very low in Japan despite major dietary changes and increases in risk factors that should have resulted in a substantial increase in coronary heart disease rates (Japanese paradox). Primary genetic effects are unlikely, given the substantial increase in coronary heart disease in Japanese migrating to the United States. For men aged 40-49 years, levels of total cholesterol and blood pressure have been similar in Japan and the United States throughout their lifetimes. The authors tested the hypothesis that levels of subclinical atherosclerosis, coronary artery calcification, and intima-media thickness of the carotid artery in men aged 40-49 years are similar in Japan and the United States. They conducted a population-based study of 493 randomly selected men: 250 in Kusatsu City, Shiga, Japan, and 243 White men in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in 2002-2005. Compared with the Whites, the Japanese had a less favorable profile regarding many risk factors. The prevalence ratio for the presence of a coronary calcium score of > or =10 for the Japanese compared with the Whites was 0.52 (95% confidence interval: 0.35, 0.76). Mean intima-media thickness was significantly lower in the Japanese (0.616 mm (standard error, 0.005) vs. 0.672 (standard error, 0.005) mm, p < 0.01). Both associations remained significant after adjusting for risk factors. The findings warrant further investigations.

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is an independent risk factor for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. There has been no study that demonstrated different abdominal fat distribution between Asian and Caucasian men. As the Japanese are less obese but more susceptible to metabolic disorders than Caucasians, they may have larger VAT than Caucasians at similar levels of obesity. We compared the abdominal fat distribution of the Japanese (n ¼ 239) and Caucasian-American (n ¼ 177) men aged 40-49 years in groups stratified by waist circumference in a population-based sample. We obtained computed tomography images and determined areas of VAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). We calculated VAT to SAT ratio (VSR). The Japanese men had a larger VAT and VSR in each stratum, despite substantially less obesity overall. In multiethnic studies, difference in abdominal fat distribution should be considered in exploring factors related to obesity. International Journal of Obesity (2006) In these studies, VAT was compared after adjusting for other factors such as age and obesity. There has been no report directly comparing VAT between the Japanese and Caucasian men in a population-based sample. Therefore, we compared the abdominal fat distribution of the Japanese and Caucasian-American men aged 40-49 years in groups stratified by waist circumference in a population-based sample. We recruited 240 American men aged 40-49 years (Caucasians: 82%), randomly selected from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, US, and 240 Japanese men aged 40-49 years, randomly selected from Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan. We confined our analyses to Caucasian and Japanese men, because African men have been compared with Caucasians elsewhere, 6 and we had only one man who categorized himself as neither Caucasian nor African-American. In order to compare the abdominal adipose tissue (AAT) distribution at similar levels of waist circumference, participants with extremely large or small waist circumference (beyond the levels of mean 72 (s.d.)) were excluded from the present analysis. After excluding 44 non-Caucasian-Americans and 20 outliers in waist circumference, 416 (239 Japanese and 177 Caucasian) men were examined. Waist circumference

BackgroundRecent research has revealed the importance of neighborhood environment as a determinant of physical activity. However, evidence among elderly adults is limited. This study examined the association between perceived neighborhood environment and walking for specific purposes among Japanese elderly adults.MethodsThis population-based, cross-sectional study enrolled 1921 participants (age: 65–74 years, men: 51.9%). Neighborhood environment (International Physical Activity Questionnaire Environmental Module) and walking for specific purposes (ie, transportation or recreation) were assessed by self-report. Multilevel logistic regression analyses with individuals at level 1 and neighborhoods at level 2 were conducted to examine the association between environment and walking, after adjustment for potential confounders.ResultsAccess to exercise facilities, social environment, and aesthetics were associated with total neighborhood walking. Odds ratios (95% CI) were 1.23 (1.00–1.51), 1.39 (1.14–1.71), and 1.48 (1.21–1.81), respectively. Regarding walking for specific purposes, social environment and aesthetics were consistent correlates of both transportation walking and recreational walking. Environmental correlates differed by specific types of walking and by sex. Transportation walking significantly correlated with a greater variety of environmental attributes. Sex differences were observed, especially for transportation walking. Bicycle lanes, crime safety, traffic safety, aesthetics, and household motor vehicles were significant correlates among men, while access to shops, access to exercise facilities, and social environment were important among women.ConclusionsSpecific environment–walking associations differed by walking purpose and sex among elderly adults. Social environment and aesthetics were consistent correlates of both transportation walking and recreational walking. Improving these environmental features might be effective in promoting physical activity among elderly Japanese.

BackgroundPrevious studies have shown associations of sedentary behavior with cardiovascular risk, independent of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). However, few studies have focused on older adults. This study examined the joint associations of television (TV) viewing time and MVPA with overweight/obesity among Japanese older adults.MethodsA population-based, cross-sectional mail survey was used to collect self-reported height, weight, time spent in TV viewing, and MVPA from 1806 older adults (age: 65–74 years, men: 51.1%). Participants were classified into 4 categories according to TV viewing time (dichotomized into high and low around the median) and MVPA level (dichotomized into sufficient and insufficient by the physical activity guideline level of ≥150 minutes/week). Odds ratios (ORs) for overweight/obesity (body mass index ≥25 kg/m2) were calculated according to the 4 TV/MVPA categories, adjusting for potential confounders.ResultsOf all participants, 20.1% were overweight/obese. The median TV viewing time (25th, 75th percentile) was 840 (420, 1400) minutes/week. As compared with the reference category (high TV/insufficient MVPA), the adjusted ORs (95% CI) of overweight/obesity were 0.93 (0.65, 1.34) for high TV/sufficient MVPA, 0.58 (0.37, 0.90) for low TV/insufficient MVPA, and 0.67 (0.47, 0.97) for low TV/sufficient MVPA.ConclusionsIn this sample of older adults, spending less time watching TV, a predominant sedentary behavior, was associated with lower risk of being overweight or obese, independent of meeting physical activity guidelines. Further studies using prospective and/or intervention designs are warranted to confirm the presently observed effects of sedentary behavior, independent of physical activity, on the health of older adults.

BackgroundAn increasing number of studies have demonstrated that light-intensity physical activity (LPA) confers health benefits after adjustment for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize existing epidemiological evidence on associations of objectively measured LPA with health outcomes in adults.MethodsThis review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched on PubMed, Web of Science, CINAL, and Cochrane Library for articles analyzing the association between objectively determined LPA and health outcomes that were published up to January 2017. Data were extracted regarding authors, publication year, country of survey, study setting, number of participants, study design, physical activity (PA) assessment (type of accelerometer and intensity), health outcomes, confounders, and results (summary measures and association). A coding system was used to summarize the results.ResultsOf the 3254 studies identified, 24 cross-sectional and 6 longitudinal studies were included in this review. Most of the studies targeted the Western population. LPA was inversely associated with all-cause mortality risk and associated favorably with some cardiometabolic risk factors including waist circumference, triglyceride levels, insulin, and presence of metabolic syndrome. Only a small amount of data were available on mental health and cognitive function.ConclusionsLPA appears to be beneficially associated with important health outcomes after adjustment for MVPA in the adult population. Although current global PA guidelines recommend only MVPA, promoting LPA may confer additional health benefits.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12966-018-0695-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

No abstract