Basic information was obtained from this cross-sectional study for preventing obesity and developing effective public health intervention in male residents. The subjects were 1, 736 men (20-69 years) who had completed the questionnaire on life style in the 1998 Kyoto Citizen's Health and Nutrition Study. The relationship between the life style and body mass index (BMI) was evaluated by a chi-square test and multiple regression analysis of the subjects classified into five-year age bands. BMI was positively associated with regular exercise of less than 2 times per week in the 50-59 years age group (p<0.05). BMI was also positively associated with some types of dietary behavior. In particular, BMI was positively associated in all age groups with a short meal time, and a preference for rich foods and large meal size, suggesting that these factors are important for preventing obesity. In addition, the BMI association with salt intake such as a preference for highly seasoned dishes shows that salt restriction should be actively encouraged in dietary guidance to prevent obesity. Although BMI was positively associated with the intake frequency of some types of food, the overall balance in food intake did not result in any significant difference in BMI.
