The aim of the present study was to compare the factors associated with sports participation in females with children and females with no children of similar age. We analyzed data from the National Sports-Life Survey 2018 in adults and potential correlates of sports participation (females with children: n=269, median: 38.0 years (1st-3rd quartiles: 34.0-42.0 years) and females with no children: n=181, 29.0 years (23.0-43.5 years)). Sports participation and associated factors including demographic, behavioral, and environment factors were assessed by questionnaire. After controlling for age and sociodemographic variables, the results of logistic regression indicated that only the highest sedentary behaviour on weekdays (Odds ratio (OR)=2.22 (95% confidential interval: 1.10-4.47), p=0.03) was significantly negatively correlated with sports participation. Moreover, the interactions between females with children or females with no children and each factor were examined. As a result, for females with no children, a parent at home (OR=0.27 (0.10-0.71), p=0.01), skipping breakfast (OR=3.48 (1.41-8.60), p=0.01) and the longest time spent doing housework and laundry (OR=0.20 (0.05-0.79), p=0.02) were significantly negatively correlated with sports participation. The availability of bicycle facilities (OR=2.45 (1.03-5.82), p=0.04) was also significantly positively correlated with sports participation. The findings of this study suggest that sports participation was related with less sedentary time in females, a parent at home, lifestyle, and neighborhood environment in females with no children. In conclusion, lifestyle changes such as reducing sitting time and breakfast consumption may be beneficial in promoting sports participation among females in the lower and middle age groups.

Questionnaires on business continuity were sent to 273 nursing homes in Kumamoto Prefecture between November and December in 2020. We asked food service personnel about preparedness to emergencies, such as stockpiles and action plans. Ninety-six facilities (35%) responded. While 99% of facilities had food stocks for the care home residents, those with food stocks for the staff was only 39%. Although facilities that stocked alternative heat sources such as a portable cooking stove with a gas cylinder and lighting for kitchen and dining room exceeded 80%, stockpile of disposable toilets was limited in 14% of them. Most facilities were not prepared for ventilation of kitchen during blackout and order placement of food stuff in communication failure. Nearly 65% of them had never conducted training for meal service in emergencies. During pandemic, fewer staff may be available because of infection and care of sick family. To be prepared to manpower shortage, 94% of them identified employees who were highly likely to be absent due to their care need family. For business continuity at elderly care facilities, it is necessary to conduct meal service drill for emergencies based on their stockpiled items and manpower planning to check their preparedness is adequate.

Unlike the conventional parent-led weaning, baby-led weaning (hereafter referred to as BLW) is an approach that proposes harnessing the babies' own eating abilities by allowing them to choose what they want to eat based on their interests, and eat at their own pace. BLW is currently gaining ground around the world. Interestingly, in Japan, a book on BLW was translated into Japanese in 2019. Based on foreign literature, there is a possibility that BLW may lead to iron and zinc deficiencies compared to conventional weaning; however, there was no significant difference in choking risk. Benefits such as less food pickiness and less worry about becoming overweight due to self-regulating eating as a satiety response were identified. Overseas, based on the results of BLW and TW (traditional weaning) research, weaning methods for infants are being considered. In the future, while paying attention to safety issues such as choking, we will devise ways to proceed with weaning in consideration of the Japanese diet, and will promptly accumulate BLW research from related fields in Japan. We believe that this would influence the practice of BLW in Japan and its subsequent dissemination.