Effects on morbidity and mortality following both global warming and ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation increase are summarized.
(1) The abnormally high atmospheric temperature (“heat wave”) may be associated with increase in morbidity and mortality of high risk groups, such as the elderly.
(2) Increased photochemical oxidants in urban areas with warming trend will have effects on human health and could cause inflammatory disease of eyes and many types of respiratory diseases.
(3) The concentration of agrochemicals and pesticides in the environment would increase thereby resulting in human exposure.
(4) Since the climate change would affect the seasonal and geographical abundance of major vector species like mosquito, the incidence of vector-borne diseases could be affected.
(5) Since depletion of stratospheric ozone layer effect would increase UV-B radiation, a number of diseases of the skin and eyes may increase.

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Salithion, an agricultural chemical, was sprayed in persimmon orchards. The exposure of salithion to workers' bodies and the amount of salithion in the blood were measured.
The orchards were situated in the Tataki area of Tanbara-cho, Shuso-gun, Ehime prefecture. Before spraying, the salithion solution was diluted 1, 000 fold.
The amount of salithion exposed to the skin of the sprayers was estimated by the measured amount of salithion on the gloves, socks and filter paper that was put on their underwear. The results were as follows.
1) The mean amount of salithion exposed to the body surface of the sprayers who were protected perfectly was estimated to be 0.54 mg. On the other hand, the exposure to the sprayers protected imperfectly was 8.02 mg. The latter value was 15 times higher than the former, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05).
2) The concentration of the salithion in the blood of the sprayers was 11.5±13.8 ppb (M±SD). The correlation coefficient between salithion concentration in the blood and the amount of salithion exposed to the body surface was r = 0.73 (p<0.01).

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Inhibitory effect of organophosphorus pesticides on the activity of carboxylesterase (CE), arylarnidase (AAA) and cholinesterase (ChE) in human plasma was investigated. The CE, AAA and ChE activities in human plasma were inhibited by various organophosphorus pesticides. Especially EDDP, BRP, DEP and DDVP showed low I₅₀ values for these enzymes. Generally, the I₅₀ values of CE were lower than those of AAA and ChE for pesticides. The CE activities of DDVP sprayers were significantly reduced after spraying. The mixed pesticides of MEP and IBP increased the inhibitory effect on the CE activity as compared with the individual of the respective pesticides. All of the pesticides investigated in this study showed noncompetitive inhibition to the CE activity in human plasma. The CE and AAA activties were possibly inhibited by -NO₂ radical of MEP stronger than-SCH₃ radical of MPP. The pl₅₀ (-log I₅₀) values of various pesticides on these three enzymes were closely related to each other. The correlation coefficient was over than 0.9.

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Epidemiological investigations were made on carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in 3, 259 rural inhabitants and 3, 200 urban inhabitants. Abonormally high CEA levels were found in 12.0% of male rural inhabitants and 6.8% of male urban inhabitants. For women, the percentage was 2.4% in rural areas and 1.6% in urban areas. Correlations between high CEA levels and age were noted in men. However, cigarette smokers had higher CEA levels than non-smokers in both rural and urban areas irrespective of age. Smokers' CEA levels were higher rural areas than in urban areas. These disparites in CEA levels between rural and urban inhabitants were studied, but remain unaccounted for.

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Deaths in the young are due largely to suicide and unexpected accidents rather than sickness. When the cause of death in the young in their 20s to30s is studied as to death from sickness, it consists of malignant neoplasm, cerebro-vascular diseases and heart diseases, low as the proportion is, showing the same trend as in the adult diseases. To study these backgrounds, the cause of death, the incidence of abnormalities and mean of the test values obtained from medical examinations in the southern rural of Akita Prefecture were studied in comparison with adults. The results obtained are summarized as follows.
(1) The number of young people with cerebro-vascular diseases in this locality was more than twice the national average. It was conspicuously large in women, but those with the blood pressure were many in men. So, involvement of factors other than the blood pressure need to be considered.
(2) On the whole, the abnormality in the test values was found more often in 30sthan in 20s, which substantiates an increase in the incidence death. However, the sharp increase in the mortality rate in 30s compared with 20s did not manifest itself markedly in the test values. So, it appears necessary to study factors including the family history.
(3) Studies on the high blood pressure and dietary life in the obese people revealed no difference between the group of people with high blood pressure and the group of normal individuals. The influence of hereditary predisposition (the diastolic pressure in already high in case of there being high blood pressure in the family history even in the young) rather then the dietary habit appears to be great in the young people.
(4) Anemia was often found in women of the agricultural group. Both protein and animal protein tended to show low values.
(5) The GOT, GPT and γ-GTP levels were high in men of the non-agricultural group. Insufficient intake of animal and poultry meat (P<0.01) and tendency to heavy drinking were noted.
(6) Those with hypercholesterolemia were found to take plenty of lipid (P<0.05, male), By food, the percentage of milk of and dairy products taken was high (P<0.05, male).
(7) Neutral fat showed high levels in both men and women of the agriaultural group. When the dietary life was examined in men with high neutral fat levels, amount of carbohydreate taken (P<0.01) and grain energy (P<0.05) were unexpectedly low in the neutral fat group compared with the nomal group. The insufficient caloric intake appears to be compensated by alcohol.

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A survey was conducted on the health of young people engaged in farming in a suburban district in the southwestern part of Ibaraki Prefecture. The purpose was to seek a more effective way of implementing a health-control program. The results of the survey revealed several points that have arrested our attention.
First, many of the young people surveyed seemed to be indifferent to their health. It is necessary, therefore, to help them understand the importance of health examination and to encourage them to participate in mass screening projects.
Second, not a few young people were found to suffer more or less from stress diseases. A majority of those who were found to need medical attention are considered to be at risk to adult diseases.
Third, in view of the fact that bed habits have caused many physical disorders in the subjects, primary preventive care is called for before everything else in rural medicine. Periodic checkups are just a secondary level of preventive medicine to detect adult diseases for earlytreatment.
The incidence of adult diseases is linked with such factors as the mode of living, social environment, and many others. Although some of the risk factors are beyond the control of each individual, cigarette smoking, drinking, overnutrition, lack of exercise and other lifestyle-induced health problems are controllable.
We should urge young people to train and build up their bodies, and to shake off unhealthy eating habits. Improvenment of domestic conditions is also an important point in reducing health risks.

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A check of the health of residents in their twenties and thirties in Nagano Prefecture's rural communities indicates that the rate of hypertensives and the incidence of cholesterolemia were low in those age groups. There were signs that the prevalence of obesity is somewhat high among males but low among females. Virtually no incidence of anemia was observed among men but the incidence was fairly high among women. The number of persons with hepatic dysfunction was relatively large among men. In terms of the intake of nutrients, there were not a few men for whom the meals were imbalanced, and the intake of alcoholic beverages was high.
It is necessary that women should refrain from taking in confectionary and taken in fishmeat, meat, milk, egg, soybeans and other proteins. In Nagano Prefecture's rural communities, there remain signs that the intake of salt is high even in young generation, so that it is important to take measures for the prevention of hypertension.

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This time, residents (male: 2449, female: 2165, age: 20-39) who lived in 3 areas were studied: the western area of Tono, Nakatsugawa and Ena in Gifu prefecture. A health examination and questionnaire survey was conducted for 3 years between 1983 and 1985 in order to do a comparison study with regard to their living conditions, eating habits, family and medical histories.
Here we report the study.

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The future of Japanese agriculture depends a great deal on the young adult. In this study, preventive health strategies for young people living in a farming area are discussed. The following is a summary of the conclusions we have arrived at.
1. There is much to be desired in their eating habits. Hence, the necessity of drawing up adequate guidelines and educational programs.
2. Young men must be dissuaded from smoking cigarettes and drinking a lot.
3. There is too much stress in living and working environments.
4. Overworking must be avoided.
5. Individuals must realize the importance of protecting and promoting their own health.

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