Progression Of Lifestyle-related Diseases Research Articles

A Study of the Factors Impeding Proper Dietary Habits: An Investigation Using the Japanese Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions

(1) Background: Diet is significant for nutritional intake and serves as an essential element for improving quality of life (QOL). Poor dietary management skills increase the risk of onset or progression of lifestyle-related diseases, and, in particular, are a factor in reduced QOL during old age. This study aimed to clarify the physical and social background factors impeding dietary self-management. (2) Methods: The study participants were 3814 men (age range, 30–69 years) extracted from anonymous data comprising 15,294 persons provided from the Japanese national statistics database. The participants were classified into two groups (Concerned vs. Unconcerned) according to whether they were concerned about their diet. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for diet-conscious behaviors were then obtained by means of binomial logistic regression analysis performed following univariate analysis. (3) Results: The Concerned and Unconcerned groups comprised 2548 (66.8%) and 1266 subjects (33.2%), respectively. The diet-conscious behavior with the highest response rate was eating regularly (46.7%). The most frequent items in the Unconcerned group were the subjective symptom “irritable” (48.9%), high stress (46.3%), working more than 56 h/week (43.8%), and smoking (41.9%). The only item with a large significant OR in the binomial logistic regression analysis was smoking (OR: 2.2). (4) Conclusions: These results suggest that a smoking habit and stress are factors that impede diet management behaviors.

Novel Biomarker Establishment for Evaluation of Excessive Fructose Consumption Using a Rat Model.

The habitual consumption of excessive fructose is associated with the onset and progression of lifestyle-related diseases, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this study, we investigated the physiological changes observed when consuming a diet containing excessive fructose on the viewpoints of hepatotoxicity biological markers using a rat model and explored the biomarker candidates that could detect the effects of excessive fructose intake at an early stage. Male rats were fed 63% high fructose diet (HFrD) ad libitum and their blood samples were collected before and at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after allocation. The plasma biochemical parameters, hepatotoxic enzyme activities including alkaline phosphatase (ALP) isozymes were analyzed. HFrD consumption for 4-weeks created NAFLD-like symptoms, including elevated plasma lipid parameters and hepatotoxicity markers, as well as fat accumulation in the liver compared with rats consuming a control diet. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) were increased from the 3rd and 2nd weeks, respectively, but no changes were observed on ALP activity. However, the daily consumption of the HFrD increased the plasma activities of liver-type ALP isozyme, and decreased plasma small intestinal-type ALP isozyme soon after the start of feeding. ALP isozyme analysis in combination with GLDH and ALT activities in the plasma samples could be a useful tool to detect the physiological changes induced by excessive fructose intake at an early stage of the development of NAFLD.

Effects of Toxic AGEs (TAGE) on Human Health.

The habitual and excessive consumption of sugar (i.e., sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup, HFCS) is associated with the onset and progression of lifestyle-related diseases (LSRD). Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) have recently been the focus of research on the factors contributing to LSRD. Approaches that inhibit the effects of AGEs may be used to prevent and/or treat LSRD; however, since the structures of AGEs vary depending on the type of reducing sugars or carbonyl compounds to which they respond, difficulties are associated with verifying that AGEs are an etiological factor. Cytotoxic AGEs derived from glyceraldehyde, a triose intermediate in the metabolism of glucose and fructose, have been implicated in LSRD and are called toxic AGEs (TAGE). A dietary imbalance (the habitual and excessive intake of sucrose, HFCS, or dietary AGEs) promotes the generation/accumulation of TAGE in vivo. Elevated circulating levels of TAGE have been detected in non-diabetics and diabetics, indicating a strong relationship between the generation/accumulation of TAGE in vivo and the onset and progression of LSRD. We herein outline current findings on “TAGE as a new target” for human health.

Changes in Health Consciousness of Nursing Students in Japan after Acquiring Medical Care Knowledge from a Nursing School

Background: Health consciousness in daily life is very important because lifestyle habits, such as dietary and exercise habits, sleep, and smoking, are involved in the development and progression of lifestyle-related diseases, such as cancer, heart diseases, stroke, liver diseases, kidney diseases, and diabetes. Purpose: In this study, we surveyed to see if the health consciousness increased and what behaviors in daily life changed in students of a nursing school (Seiwa Nursing College, Tokyo, Japan) after they learned medical care knowledge required to become a nurse. Results: After learning medical care knowledge for 3 years, the students were found to have a higher level of health consciousness in the third year than they did in the first year. They applied the medical care knowledge they learned in daily life. All data were collected in 2019. Conclusions: The medical care knowledge learned in a nursing school was demonstrated to serve as information to increase the health consciousness.

Potential of an Interorgan Network Mediated by Toxic Advanced Glycation End-Products in a Rat Model.

Excessive intake of glucose and fructose in beverages and foods containing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) plays a significant role in the progression of lifestyle-related diseases (LSRD). Glyceraldehyde-derived advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which have been designated as toxic AGEs (TAGE), are involved in LSRD progression. Understanding of the mechanisms underlying the effects of TAGE on gene expression in the kidneys remains limited. In this study, DNA microarray analysis and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to investigate whether HFCS-consuming Wister rats generated increased intracellular serum TAGE levels, as well as the potential role of TAGE in liver and kidney dysfunction. HFCS consumption resulted in significant accumulation of TAGE in the serum and liver of rats, and induced changes in gene expression in the kidneys without TAGE accumulation or upregulation of receptor for AGEs (RAGE) upregulation. Changes in specific gene expression profiles in the kidney were more correlated with TAGE levels in the liver tissue than in the serum. These findings suggest a direct or indirect interaction may be present between the liver and kidneys that does not involve serum TAGE or RAGE. The involvement of internal signal transduction factors such as exosomes or cytokines without IL-1β and TNF-α is suggested to contribute to the observed changes in kidney gene expression.

Soft-shelled turtle eggs inhibit the formation of AGEs in the serum and skin of diabetic rats.

Although soft-shelled turtle eggs (STE) have been used as a folk medicine for revitalization and the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases, the scientific evidence to support the use of STE in this manner is scarce. To clarify the physiological evidence, STE was administered to diabetic rats and the inhibitory effects on the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which are known to increase with the progression of lifestyle-related diseases, were examined. STE and citric acid were administered to diabetic rats for 3 months, and serum Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) contents were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Although the administration of STE did not affect the body weight, glycoalbumin or ketone body levels, it significantly reduced the serum level of CML. The accumulation of AGEs, which was measured by fluorescence intensity in the auricle skin and the lower gums, was also reduced by the administration of STE to a similar extent to that observed with citric acid. This report provides the first evidence that the oral administration of STE reduces the formation of AGEs, suggesting that one of the health effects of STE may be the inhibition of AGEs formation.