Objectives: This study aimed to develop a scale to measure health literacy (HL) for young adults.

Methods: A 27-item comprehensive HL scale for young adults (CHLSY-27) was developed in this study and administered to 776 college students in six prefectures of Japan in 2022. The validity of the scale was confirmed via factor analysis, which compared the subscales of the developed measure with existing HL scales (HLS-14: The 14-item health literacy scale for Japanese adults) and the concepts used in these scales. The reliability of the scale was assessed using Cronbach's α and McDonald's ω coefficients.

Results: Three factors were extracted via factor analysis. Factor I, “knowledge and judgment,” comprised items related to obtaining, understanding, and evaluating health and medical information; Factor II, “motivation,” comprised items related to willingness to research health and medical information; and Factor III, “communication and action,” comprised items related to communicating with and seeking help from medical professionals. Reliability coefficients α and ω for Factors I-III were .95, .94, and .89, respectively, which were deemed adequate. A significant correlation was observed between CHLSY-27 and HLS-14 scores (r = .52), indicating concurrent validity. The items comprised in Factors I-III corresponded with the three components of HL presented in a previous study, confirming factorial validity. Content validity was confirmed as the CHLSY-27 comprehensively includes the HL concept presented by the World Health Organization.

Conclusion: CHLSY-27 is applicable as a comprehensive HL measurement scale for young adults in Japan.

  A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the appearance rate and onset age of repetitive knee flexion-extension movement in supported standing, and the relationship between this movement and major gross motor developments. Participants were 108 parents of infants aged 6-34 months enrolled in classes for 0-2-year-olds at nurseries. Participants answered the following questions about their child: frequency and onset age of repetitive knee flexion-extension movement, and onset age of major gross motor activities (independent sitting, crawling, creeping, pulling to stand, cruising, independent standing, and independent walking). Approximately 90% of participants answered that they had observed their children performing repetitive knee flexion-extension movement. The onset age was around 9.5 months, and all infants began this movement between the onset of “pulling to stand” and “independent walking”. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was observed between the onset age of knee flexion-extension movement and the onset age of “independent walking” (r = 0.66, p < 0.01). These findings suggest that the knee flexion-extension movement is a movement typically observed in infancy and that it is related to “independent walking”.

  University students have the opportunity to exercise once a week through sports courses. Practical sports courses at universities provide valuable opportunities for university students to exercise. Immunity is said to change with exercise. Therefore, sports courses may assist university students in strengthening their immunity. This research aimed to clarify whether the immunity of university students will improve by engaging in 90 minutes of sports once a week for half a semester. The subjects were 17 students in a practical sports course. Saliva samples were collected before and after 4th and 14th 90-minute sports practice classes, twice in total. Secretory Immunoglobulin A (sIgA), salivary cortisol, and salivary amylase levels were measured from the saliva samples. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured at every sports practice.

  SIgA was significantly increased after the class compared to before the class (p < 0.05). However, salivary cortisol, and salivary amylase levels showed no significant difference (n.s.). The RPE of the sports practical skills class during survey period was 11.3 ± 2.7.

  The results of this study showed that a 90-minute sports practice course improves the immune competence of students. Although the regimen did not meet the criteria for exercise habits, it has been shown that sports contribute to maintaining and improving the health of university students.

Objectives: We examined the influence of food preferences on dietary behaviors and nutrient intake by determining the actual dietary habits of female university students and the relationship between these habits and food preferences.

Methods: We administered a questionnaire that assessed dietary habits, eating behaviors, and food preferences to female students at four universities in three prefectures from 2016 to 2018. There were 81 valid respondents (i.e., no missing responses over the 3-year study period). We analyzed these responses to determine potential relationships between food preferences, eating pattern, and nutrient intake by school grade (1-3). A five-point Likert scale was used to measure each variable. P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: Over all three years, we observed a significant positive correlation between the preference for fried foods and meat dishes and fat and oil intake. Meat dish preference scores were significantly correlated with carbohydrate and protein intake across all grades. Additionally, snack preference scores were significantly correlated with total snack intake across all grades; sweet snack preference scores were significantly correlated with total snack intake in grades 2 and 3. Thus, respondents who preferred snacks and sweet treats―specifically in grades 2 and above―had more-frequent intake of snacks in the evening.

Conclusion: Female university students who preferred meat-based meals reported increased fat, carbohydrate, and protein intake. Those who preferred snacks and sweet treats also reported more-frequent snacking in the evening.