Japanese Male Students Research Articles

Hypertension in children and adolescents: perspectives in Japan.

Hypertension in children and adolescents is associated with increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adulthood. Therefore, preventing hypertension among children and adolescents is an important public health objective worldwide. Although the importance of hypertension in children and adolescents has increasingly been recognized, the field of research is relatively new and evidence for etiologies, prevention and treatment is sparse. This review mainly summarizes the content regarding hypertension in children and adolescents published in Hypertension Research in 2023/24. Highlights include the following: The prevalence of hypertension was higher in female than male Japanese junior high school students (13.7% vs. 4.7%), but there was no significant gender difference among Japanese senior high school students (7.4% vs. 5.4%). Hematological parameters, including red blood cell counts, hemoglobin counts, hematocrit and iron levels, were positively associated with blood pressure (BP) levels in healthy children and adolescents. Higher-risk longitudinal BP trajectories in early life were associated with increased risk of target organ damage (TOD) and higher combined TOD load in midlife. BP phenotypes (e.g., masked hypertension, white-coat hypertension) assessed using office and 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring were not highly reproducible in children. The salt check sheet was a useful tool for evaluating the approximate dietary salt intake in Japanese children and adolescents. It is recommended that healthcare providers screen for hypertension in children and adolescents and recognize the importance of early intervention for those with elevated BP levels. Beginning in childhood, continuous education on hypertension and proper dietary salt intake are key to reducing the risk of hypertension and decreasing the burden of CVD in adulthood.

Knowledge-based Estimation of the Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Changes in Japanese Youths' Self-Consciousness about Their Face and Body Images

The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused significant alterations in the lives of Japanese university students. These changes include the shift to online lectures and imposing limitations on extracurricular activities. This study investigates whether there are variations in how male and female Japanese university students perceive their appearance during the pandemic. The author surveyed 428 Japanese university students. The author analyzed the data to assess whether there were changes in their self-perceptions of appearance during the pandemic. Our findings indicate that there are significant differences between genders regarding facial and body image perceptions at a 5% level of significance (p < .05, p = .00, .01). The reasons for these gender-based differences can be attributed to the use of web conferencing tools and the wearing of masks, which have impacted the students' self-consciousness about their appearance.

0181 A relationship between academic performance and nighttime sleep in Japanese university students

Abstract Introduction Sleep loss can cause various kinds of behavioral and psychological problems. It has been reported that sleep loss may even influence academic performance. To examine the relationship between nighttime sleep and academic performance, we conducted a questionnaire study targeting university students majoring in social sciences. Methods To recruit undergraduates for participation, we selected a few psychology-related classes at a university in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, and went to the classroom to ask the students to respond to a questionnaire that dealt with nighttime sleep and grade point average (GPA) as a measure of their academic performance. We approached 116 students, of whom 109 consented to participate and completed the questionnaire. The mean age of the final sample was 20.11 years old. Results The participants were divided into six groups: three groups based on grade and two based on sex. A two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that students with worse grades reported significantly shorter sleep durations than those with intermediate and better grades. It is also suggested that the male students with better grades tended to report delayed sleep schedules, that is, a later bedtime and waking time, compared to the two other male groups, while the females with better grades did not. Conclusion The finding strongly suggests that sleep duration may affect the academic performance of undergraduates. Sufficient sleep may result in a better academic performance and might improve the quality of our lives. In this regard, the results may be consistent with a previous study targeted high school students (Wolfson &amp; Carskadon, 1998). In sleep hygiene education, the students should be taught to have enough sleep in every night. In addition, the finding also suggets that the Japanese male students with better grades may have a tendency to stay up late to study more, while the female with better grades may not. Support (if any)

Comparative Study of Realistic Optimism between India and Japan University Students

This study aimed to determine the differences in realistic optimism between Indian and Japanese university students using the realistic optimism scale. Indian students (n = 361; 193 males and 168 females) and Japanese students (n = 390; 172 males and 218 females) participated in the questionnaire survey. A t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compare the realistic optimism between the two participant groups. The results of the t-test indicated significant differences between Indian and Japanese students regarding realistic optimism, with Indian students scoring higher in the flexibility and future orientation dimensions. No significant difference was observed in the will/courage dimension. The ANOVA results showed a significant difference between India’s and Japan’s male and female students regarding future orientation and flexibility. However, no significant difference was found in terms of will/courage between Indian and Japanese male students and between Indian and Japanese female students. The results also revealed that Indian students, male and female, scored higher on overall realistic optimism than Japanese male and female students. The findings are discussed in the context of cross-cultural studies. Indian students scored higher in flexibility resulting from a multicultural society that requires them to understand each other and be flexible. Indian students’ higher scores in future orientation refer to a strong desire to realize their goals and dreams.

Negotiating identities

AbstractThis study examines processes through which social personae are conveyed by male Japanese students at a public university in Yokohama. Focusing on the frame-setting function of first person pronominals (FPPs) in contexts where there is no intra/inter speaker variation in the choice of FPP, this paper analyzes how speakers manage identity-associated discursive alignments related to a shared Okinawa prefecture background. The common experience of being from Okinawa prefecture and attending university far from home is the primary reason that these speakers are close friends. However, analysis reveals speakers’ continual and active contention and re-formulation of this shared ‘Okinawan-ness’ and the personae to which it is linked. In particular, FPPs are implicated in speakers’ discussion of heterogeneity and/or local differences with respect to their Okinawa prefecture background. Strategic use of FPPs thus emerges as a salient tactic for speakers’ active negotiation of conversation relevant personae categories even in interactional contexts without variation.

Comparative study on thermal comfort responses and sleep quality between Indonesian and Japanese students during summer in Japan

The comfort temperature and sleep quality of Indonesian residing in Japan during summer might be different from Japanese. As an extended previous research, this study aimed to compare the thermal comfort and sleep quality between Japanese and Indonesian students. Male Indonesian and Japanese students aged 20-35 years participated in this study. The participants completed a survey regarding thermal sensation before sleep. During sleep, actigraphy was used to monitor sleep. Additionally, the temperature and relative humidity of the participants’ bedrooms were recorded. The findings of this study indicated that Indonesian students’ bedroom temperature and relative humidity were not significantly different from those of Japanese students during the summer. Most of Indonesian students preferred neutral, like the Japanese students. According to a thermal comfort survey, Indonesians had the same sensation as Japanese (slightly comfortable). However, the Griffiths method revealed that the mean comfort temperature of Indonesian was higher than those of Japanese students. We also discovered that Indonesian students had shorter duration on bed and sleep minute than Japanese students. Furthermore, the sleep rate of Indonesian students was comparable to that of Japanese students. In conclusion, Indonesian students as tropical native became capable of adjusting to the hot and humid conditions in temperate climate, Japan.

Investigating facemask problems associated with wearing comfort and fit

PurposeA facemask is used to cover the nose and mouth to protect a wearer's health in daily life. The authors’ long-term goal aimed to ensure more people with different physical characteristics and different attitudes can wear a high performance and comfortable facemask. In the present paper, wearers were surveyed by a questionnaire. Additionally, a prototype improvement pattern with a fit performance was investigated.Design/methodology/approachThe survey of facemask wearers was conducted with local students and international students in Japan. A basic pattern with high fit performance was analyzed using a combination of triangles based on the measured three-dimensional coordinates of the head shape of a Japanese mannequin.FindingsThe aggregated survey data indicated that 85.0% of the Japanese female students, 77.2% of international female students, 70.8% of Japanese male students and 54.3% of international male students were facemask wearers. Wearers had problems related to their masks' thermal, hygroscopic and airflow properties. Japanese nonusers did not wear them due to dislike related to the problems above. International nonusers had no experience of wearing them. It was concerned that these discomfort factors influence fit performance and reduction of wearing effects. Therefore, the authors analyzed a sheet pattern with a high fit performance for a Japanese head mannequin.Originality/valueThese results will contribute in improving hygienic facemasks for people at the global level. The survey results and pattern analysis provide of necessary conditions of development of the mask with comfortable and high fit performance.

한국과 일본대학생들의 다이어트 행동이 라이프 스타일과 신체적 자기만족에 미치는 요인 비교

The study analyzed 1,788 male and female college students in Korea and Japan by comparing factors for lifestyle and subjective physical self-satisfaction due to diet experience and concluded that: First of all, Japanese students have less experience in dieting than Korean students, especially Japanese male students who have experienced dieting in two out of ten, showing many differences between Korean boys, girls and Japanese girls. Second, female students were found to be more active in dieting than male students, especially Korean girls, who were more active in limiting high-calorie intake and trying to lose weight. Third, about half of Korean and Japanese students eat breakfast more than five times a week, while overall, Japanese students eat more often than Korean students, while walking and jogging are more common among Japanese students. Fourth, Korean male and female students are more satisfied with their physical appearance than Japanese male and female students. Finally, the negative health level of Korean female students is higher than that of Japanese female students. Health and diet, lifestyle and self-satisfaction are interrelated and it is believed that healthy body image, lifestyle improvement and sustainable practice efforts will be needed for Korean and Japanese college students so that dieting can be perceived as taking care of their weight not just to lose weight but to protect their health.

Associations between dietary consumption and sleep quality in young Japanese males

Poor sleep quality has been reported to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, as well as mental disorders including depression and anxiety. However, few studies have investigated the association between sleep quality and diet in young males. We aimed to assess this association, adjusting for psychological factors. In this study, a total of 124 male Japanese students were analyzed. Sleep quality, diet, and psychological symptoms were assessed using self-reported questionnaires, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire (BDHQ), 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) A-Trait scale. Among participants, 40% exhibited a PSQI total score≥6, indicating poor sleep quality. Poor sleep quality was associated with poor mental health status and higher levels of anxiety. After adjusting for covariates including these psychological factors, poor sleep quality was significantly associated with low intakes of fat, beta-carotene, retinol, alpha-tocopherol, vitamin K, vitamin B1, daidzein, genistein, and iron. Poor sleep quality was also associated with low intake of pulses, fat and oil, as well as high intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages. Our findings demonstrated that sleep quality among young Japanese males was associated with specific dietary features, independently of psychological status, which may help to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the link between sleep and sleep-related diseases.

Validity and reliability evaluation of the multidimensional Japanese athletic identity measurement scale

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 7-item multidimensional Japanese Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS). Participants: In total, 1514 male Japanese students participated in this study. Measures: Athletic identity was measured using the Japanese AIMS (Hagiwara & Isogai, 2013). Analysis: Scale reliability and validity was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The CFA fit estimation utilized the goodness-of-fit index (GFI), adjusted goodness-of-fit index (AGFI), comparative fit index (CFI), and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA). The results indicated an adequate fit for the Japanese athletes relative to Brewer and Cornelius’s (2001) three first-order factors (i.e., social identity, exclusivity, negative affectivity) subordinate to one higher-order athletic identity factor: GFI=.98, AGFI=.94, CFI=.99, RMSEA=.05. The internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) of the items comprising the multidimensional Japanese AIMS was acceptable. This study thus developed a multidimensional Japanese AIMS, which can be used to measure three aspects of a Japanese athlete’s identity, thereby potentially providing further insight into his or her identification with the athletic role.

Athletic event-specific characteristics in floating toes during the static standing posture.

[Purpose] We aimed to determine the cause of floating toe syndrome, along with methods for correction and prevention. [Participants and Methods] We recruited 93 Japanese male students. Participants were grouped, according to primary sport, as Sprinters (SPR), Swimmers (SWM), Gymnasts (GYM), Kendoists (KND) and Controls (CON). Degree of floating toe syndrome was measured according to whether any toe was not in full contact with the ground in a static standing posture—the Floating Toe Point (FTP). Two points were given for each toe that was not at the FTP. The sum of the FTP was defined as the Floating Toes Score (FTS), and was classified as follows: Normalcy (over 18 points), Incomplete Contact (between 10 and 17 points), and Floating Toes (Under 9 points). [Results] The mean FTS for all participants (10.40 ± 5.803) met the criteria for Floating Toes. Scores were highest for SWMs (13.46 ± 5.710), followed by GYMs (13.26 ± 4.505), and SPRs (12.00 ± 4.870), who all met the criteria for Incomplete Contact. Both KNDs (6.55 ± 5.409) and CONs (9.45 ± 4.824) met the criteria for Floating Toes. [Conclusion] SWMs had the highest FTSs, followed by GYMs, and SPRs. KNDs had the lowest FTS. However, no group was classified as Normal. We suggest that athletes who practice or train with bare feet do not necessarily have higher FTSs, if evaluated in the standing posture.

The Role of Emotions and Social Information Processing in the Decision Processes of Aggressive Behavior

The social information processing (SIP) model is an important element in theoretical accounts of aggressive behavior. Recently, several authors have suggested the integrations of emotions in the SIP model. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the revised SIP model of aggression with Japanese young people. In Study 1, 130 male Japanese students were given three scenarios depicting social conflicts and asked to rate the variables comprising the model. Structural equation analysis showed that hostile intent, anger and positive evaluation of aggressive behavior increased aggressive behavior, on the other hand, adaptive emotion regulation strategies decreased aggressive behavior. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the revised model was significantly better in the prediction of aggression than the original model. In study 2, 82 male Japanese delinquents were given the same materials as study1. The results substantially replicated the results of Study 1, although emotion regulation did not work in this sample. There appear to be two possible interpretations. One possibility is that juvenile delinquents may be likely to engage in aggression because they tend to feel strong anger, and the uncontrolled anger distorts social perception to produce aggressive motivations. The other interpretation is that the research procedures adopted by the study 2 influenced the results. Both studies further indicated that the levels of variables of the revised model were significantly different between high aggressive and low aggressive participants.

The secular trend and network effects on height of male Japanese students from 1955 to 2015.

Introduction: Body height is influenced by biological factors such as genetics, nutrition and health, but also by the social network, and environmental and economical factors. During centuries, the Japanese society has developed on islands. This setting provides ideal natural conditions for studying the influence of social networks on human height. Material and methods: We investigated body height of male Japanese students aged 17.5 years obtained in 47 prefectures, from the Japanese school health survey of the years 1955, 1975, 1995, and 2015. Results: Japanese students increased in height from 163.23 cm in 1955 to 170.84 cm in 1995, with no further increase thereafter (170.63 cm in 2015). Students living in neighboring prefectures were similar in height. The correlation of height between neighboring prefectures ranged between r = 0.79 and r = 0.49 among first degree neighbors, between r = 0.49 and r = 0.21 among second degree neighbors and dropped to insignificance among third degree neighbors indicating psychosocial effects of the community on body height. Tall stature and short stature prefectures did not remain tall or short throughout history. Autocorrelations of height within the same prefectures decreased from the 20 years periods of 1955-1975, 1975-1995 and 1995-2015 (r = 0.52, r = 0.61, r = 0.63, respectively) to the 40 years periods of 1955-1995 and 1975-2015 (r = 0.49, r = 0.52), down to the 60 years period of 1955-2015 (r = 0.27), indicating significant volatility of height. Conclusion: Body height of 17.5 years old Japanese students increased since 1955. Body height depended on height of the neighboring prefecture, but was volatile with decreasing autocorrelation during a period of 60 years.

Association of EGLN1 genetic polymorphisms with SpO2 responses to acute hypobaric hypoxia in a Japanese cohort

BackgroundRecent studies have explored various genetic and physiological factors related to high-altitude adaptation in highlander populations. However, the effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), influencing such adaptation, on physiological responses to hypobaric hypoxia have not been examined in lowlanders with lowlander ancestry. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association between SNPs around the EGLN1 genomic region, possibly involved in high-altitude adaptation, and physiological changes to hypobaric hypoxia exposure in a cohort of Japanese lowlanders.MethodsPhysiological data were obtained from 46 healthy Japanese male students under different atmospheric pressure conditions (equivalent to sea level and altitudes of 2500 and 4000 m). Genotypes of seven SNPs around EGLN1 were determined in all subjects by PCR-direct sequencing or TaqMan SNP genotyping assay.ResultsResults of the association study suggest that percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) responses of individuals with rs12097901 and rs2790859 alleles, whose frequencies are high in highlander populations (HL alleles), may be susceptible to acute hypobaric hypoxia. SpO2 levels of individuals with HL alleles were lower than those of individuals with non-HL alleles. At the same time, the subjects with HL alleles did not appear to have any remarkable hematological or pulmonary features that may counteract the low levels of SpO2. One may hypothesize that the low SpO2 levels in HL allele carriers could be a risk factor for acute mountain sickness in Japanese population.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that rs12097901 and rs2790859 genotypes affect SpO2 responses and may be associated with the susceptibility to acute hypobaric hypoxia in Japanese population.

A comparative study on the lifestyles of male Japanese and Chinese university students majoring in sports science from Fukuoka and Inner Mongolia, and textbooks on health and physical education

A comparative study on the lifestyles of male Japanese and Chinese university students majoring in sports science from Fukuoka and Inner Mongolia, and textbooks on health and physical education

Characteristics of the life habits of obese students at one of Japan's National Colleges of Technology.

Aim This study clarified the characteristics of life habits of obese Japanese male students at the National Colleges of Technology, Japan. Materials and methods Healthy students aged 15-19 years answered a questionnaire containing 21 items on the following five categories of life habits: general exercise, meals, sleeping, leisure activity and illness or injury history. The subjects were divided into three groups based on the criteria of body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage (%BF): non-obese (%BF < 20%, n = 420), overweight obese (%BF ≥ 20% and BMI ≥ 25, n = 99), and hidden obese (%BF ≥ 20% and BMI < 25, n = 60). The mean differences in waking time, bedtime and amount of time spent walking, sleeping and watching TV per day were examined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square tests for each item. Results The overweight obese and hidden obese groups engaged in less exercise time, were more likely to eat until they were full at meals and were less likely to eat between meals or late at night than the non-obese group. In addition, the non-obese group had significantly later waking times and significantly less TV-watching time than the overweight obese group. There were no significant differences with respect to leisure activity and illness or injury history among the three groups. Many students in all groups had regular waking times and were not performing any leisure activities. Conclusion The findings suggest that obese students may need further guidance to help them maintain a healthy life and appropriate weight.

Elucidation of the physiological adjustment effect of forest therapy.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the physiological adjustment effect of forest therapy based on the Law of Initial Value. The experiments were conducted in nine forest and urban areas in Japan during the period from 2011 to 2012. There were 12 male Japanese university students participating in each of the nine experiments (total, 108 participants). Of these, 98 subjects (mean age ± standard deviation, 21.4 ± 1.6 years) were analyzed. The subjects were instructed to view a real forest landscape or urban area for 15 min. The systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate of each subject were measured. We analyzed the correlation between the initial values (after city viewing) and the differences in values between the two environments (after forest viewing-after city viewing). There was a negative correlation between the initial values and the differences in values between the two environments. The subjects whose initial systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate were high showed marked decreases in these parameters as their response after viewing the forest environment, whereas those whose initial systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate were low showed increases in these parameters as their response. These results support the premise that the physiological effect of a forest environment can differ depending on a subject's initial response values. Moreover, it was clear that forest therapy caused physiological adjustment, normalizing blood pressure and pulse rate.

Multiple regression analysis of anthropometric measurements influencing the cephalic index of male Japanese university students

Cephalic index (CI), the ratio of head breadth to head length, is widely used to categorise human populations. The aim of this study was to access the impact of anthropometric measurements on the CI of male Japanese university students. This study included 1,215 male university students from Tokyo and Kyoto, selected using convenient sampling. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the effect of anthropometric measurements on CI. The variance inflation factor (VIF) showed no evidence of a multicollinearity problem among independent variables. The coefficients of the regression line demonstrated a significant positive relationship between CI and minimum frontal breadth (p < 0.01), bizygomatic breadth (p < 0.01) and head height (p < 0.05), and a negative relationship between CI and morphological facial height (p < 0.01) and head circumference (p < 0.01). Moreover, the coefficient and odds ratio of logistic regression analysis showed a greater likelihood for minimum frontal breadth (p < 0.01) and bizygomatic breadth (p < 0.01) to predict round-headedness, and morphological facial height (p < 0.05) and head circumference (p < 0.01) to predict long-headedness. Stepwise regression analysis revealed bizygomatic breadth, head circumference, minimum frontal breadth, head height and morphological facial height to be the best predictor craniofacial measurements with respect to CI. The results suggest that most of the variables considered in this study appear to influence the CI of adult male Japanese students.

Patterns and structures of worry among college students in Hawaii and Japan

This study presents a comprehensive conceptualization of the structure of worry and its effect on social anxiety. Six hundred and sixty male and female college students in Hawaii and Japan completed a quantitative questionnaire survey, and the data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). However, the unique pattern of worry structure in Japanese male students was different from the findings of the two-dimensional EFA results. Japanese male samples are more likely to be concerned first with their personal worry issues rather than social worry aspects. Because of the economic crisis and a lack of social trust in social capital, the Japanese male students are more likely to have a hard time obtaining full-time jobs and to have to endure the burden of social pressures related to the Japanese job hiring system. Overall, the data indicate that social factors such as quality of life, social capital, risks, illness, concern and worry have an impact on college students’ health and well-being. Key words: Culture, social anxiety, concerns, patterns and structures of worry, social factors.

Relationship of Social Problem-Solving Ability with Interpersonal Relationships: A Prospective Study among Japanese Women and Men

The present study of a Japanese sample used a prospective approach to examine the relationship between self-rated social problem-solving ability and quality of interpersonal relationships. The Japanese versions of the Problem-Solving self-efficacy scale, problem-solving skills scale, and the interpersonal relationship inventory short form were administered to 139 female and 148 male Japanese college students, who participated in two sessions separated by 6 wk. (time 1 and time 2). Partial correlations controlling for scores on the interpersonal relationship scales at Time 1 indicated that self-ratings of social problem-solving ability were correlated with aspects of interpersonal relationships assessed at time 2, and this relationship was stronger for men (five of six correlations were significant) than for women (two of six correlations were significant).