[Aim] To determine the relationship between dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in men.
[Methods] The subjects were 114 men aged 59.1 ± 16.6 years, after exclusion of patients undergoing treatment for hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia and patients with ABI of 0.9 or less, who participated in mass-screening tests in rural communities in Japan in 2003. After overnight fasting, body mass index, blood pressure in the sitting position (SBP / DBP), baPWV in the supine position, plasma glucose level, total cholesterol level, triglyceride level, HDL cholesterol level and plasma DHEAS level were measured. The subjects were divided into two age groups, 70 years of age or older (70 or older group) and less than 70 years of age (under 70 group). The subjects in each age groups were further divided into two DHEAS level groups, a high DHEAS (≥2148 ng/ml in subjects < 70 years of age and ≥1053 ng/ml in subjects ≥ 70 years of age) group (H-DHEAS subgroup) and a normal DHEAS (< 2148 ng/ml in subjects < 70 years of age and < 1053 ng/ml in subjects ≥70 years of age) group (N-DHEAS subgroup).
[Results] The level of baPWV showed significantly positive correlations with age (r = 0.737, p < 0.001), SBP and DBP and a negative correlation with DHEAS (r =-0.481, p < 0.001). In the under 70 group, baPWV was significantly lower in the H-DHEAS subgroup than in the N-DHEAS subgroup (p = 0.015), though age was lower in the H-DHEAS subgroup than in the N-DHEAS subgroup. In the 70 or older group, baPWV was significantly lower in the H-DHEAS subgroup than in the N-DHEAS subgroup (p = 0.014) and there was no statistically significant difference between age in the H-DHEAS subgroup and that in the N-DHEAS subgroup.
[Conclusions] DHEAS level is strongly influenced by aging. In this study, it was shown that baPWV increased as the level of DHEAS decreased and that a decrease in DHEAS level is one of the factors related to the progression of arteriosclerosis.

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To assess the association between serum leptin concentration and lifestyle factors, we analyzed relationships of serum leptin concentration with seven health practices proposed by Breslow : physical activity, sleeping, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, breakfast, eating between meals, and obesity. We also examined leptin's association with mental stress. Study subjects were 2224 Japanese male workers aged 40 to 59 years in 1997. Leptin concentration (geometric mean : 2.94 ng/ml) differed significantly by age, workplace, and BMI. After adjustment for these factors by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), estimated leptin concentration became significantly higher along with decrease in physical activity (range from the highest to lowest activity : 2.53-2.99ng/ml), smoking cessation (2.83-3.03ng/ml), increase in skipping breakfast (2.91-3.27ng/ml), increase in perceived mental stress (2.73-3.00ng/ml), respectively (p<0.05, test of linear trend). Although the differences in adjusted estimates of leptin by drinking categories were of borderline significance (p=0.053, ANCOVA), the estimated values were proportional to the increase of ethanol consumption (2.86-3.01ng/ml, p<0.05, test of linear trend). Serum leptin concentration seemed to be affected by physical activity, drinking habit, smoking habit, eating breakfast, and perceived mental stress in addition to the amount of adipose tissue.

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PURPOSE : To investigate the relationship between dietary factors and serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) levels in a general population.
METHODS : In cross-sectional analysis of 2445 men and woman aged 40 to 79 years selected from a community of Hisayama Town, we compared dietary factors between subjects with hyperlipidemia (LDLC ≥ 140 mg/dl) and those without hyperlipidemia.
RESULTS : After adjustment for non-dietary factors, such as age, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, smoking habits, alcohol intake, and physical activity with logistic regression model, energy-adjusted intake of total fat (odds ratio for an increase of 1SD, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.39) and dietary oils and fats (1.22; 1.06-1.39) remained as significant independent relevant factors of hyperlipidemia in men, while animal protein (1.15; 1.02-1.29), sodium (0.86; 0.77-0.96), milk (1.18; 1.05-1.34), sugar (1.13; 1.01-1.27), and rice (0.88; 0.78-0.99) were significant independent relevant factors in women.
In men, the age-adjusted energy ratios of protein and fat were significantly higher for subjects with hyperlipidemia compared to normal subjects, while energy ratio of animal protein were significantly increased in women with hyperlipidemia. Saturated fatty acid (S) and monounsaturated fatty acid intakes were significantly higher in subjects with hyperlipidemia than in normal subjects for both men and women. In addition, cholesterol and polyunsaturated fatty acid (P) intakes were significantly higher in women with hyperlipidemia. The P/S ratio were significantly decreased in woman with hyperlipidemia than in normal subjects, however, such a difference was not observed for men.
CONCLUSIONS : Our data suggest that increased fat intake is tightly associated with elevated serum LDLC levels for men, while the quality and composition of dietary fat, such as increased intake of saturated fatty acid and cholesterol, affect serum LDLC levels in women.

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