Purpose: This study examined the effects of stress relaxation interventions for 3 months to compare the methods of aromatherapy, exercise, and muscle relaxation.
Methods: In this intervention study, participants were 46 women aged 35 and older. They were divided into the aromatherapy (n = 12), aerobics exercise (n = 12), muscle relaxation (n = 12), and control groups (n = 10). Each treatment was carried out for 3 months; the control group did not receive any therapy. A simple menopausal index (SMI), Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (quality of life; SF36 v.2) scale, and stress response scale (SRS-18) were administered before and after the interventions. In addition, serum levels of white blood cells, blood platelets, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes were measured, and levels of Chromogranin A in saliva were measured before and after the interventions.
Results: Almost all the participants of intervenient groups complied with the stress relaxation methods. The muscle relaxation group showed significant decreases on the SMI scale after the intervention. For quality of life, “general health perception” and “social functioning” improved significantly in the aromatherapy group, and “bodily pain,” “vitality,” “role emotional,” and “mental health” improved significantly in the aerobics exercise group. Improvements on the SRS-18 were also seen in the aerobics exercise group, although differences did not reach statistical significance. Lymphocyte numbers, an indicator of stress, decreased significantly in the aerobics exercise group.
Conclusion: Stress relief treatment for 3 months improved menopausal symptoms and quality of life, especially in the aerobics exercise and aromatherapy groups. However, because individual variations were large, they should be permitted to choose and practice the most suitable stress-relieving method individually.

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Objective: To introduce educational material that was developed based on a social cognitive theory of picky eating in preschool children, and to report outcomes from process evaluation of the material in practice.
Methods: We conducted a panel theater program for parents and their preschool children from three kindergartens and two child care centers in Tokyo from May to July 2011. The theme of the panel theater was “Let's tackle the disliked foods!” On the first stage, parents and children watched a panel theater-style presentation. On the second stage, the parents were then informed about the social cognitive theory on which the program was based. After the program, parents answered self-administered questionnaires for process evaluation.
Results: One hundred and thirty-five parents participated in the program. Through the process evaluation questionnaires, most parents characterized the program as “interesting (97.0%)” and/or “comprehensible (96.3%).” In the free description portion of the questionnaire, comments from parents of kindergarteners reflected a sense of decreasing pressure regarding the picky eating behaviors of their children and a willingness to use modeling which was one of the behavioral strategies recommended in the program. On the other hand, parents of children from the child care centers commented on the difficulty of maintaining their children's attention for the duration of the program given that their children generally only were around 2 years of age.
Conclusion: The process evaluation for the educational material in practice showed a generally positive reception. In addition, comments from parents of kindergartners frequently described a sense of the decreasing pressure regarding their children's picky eating behaviors. These results suggest that the panel theater might be usefully applied as an educational approach to address picky eating in preschool children.

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Objective: To examine the feasibility of “Best Adviser for Diet,” educational material consisting of playing cards presenting coping strategies for resisting temptations in weight control.
Methods: A game using these cards was played by 68 participants in health classes at a town from December 2011 to January 2012. Before playing, participants completed self-administered questionnaires examining self-efficacy regarding resistance to situational temptations in weight control (availability, social pressure, relaxation, reward, negative emotion, and hunger, three items, six-point scale), demographic characteristics, and physical size. They also completed self-administered questionnaires on self-efficacy, evaluations of the game, and additional comments after the game. Self-efficacy scores, before and after the game, were compared by sex and temptation using Wilcoxon signed-rank sum tests.
Results: Of 64 participant, 40 were women (62.5%) and 25 (39.1%) were 60 or older. Self-efficacy scores for resisting situational temptations were significantly higher after the game among all respondents. For example, in the total sample, the median (25th percentile, 75th percentile) self-efficacy scores for resisting temptation in the context of hunger (minimum value: 3.0, maximum value: 18.0) were 3.0 (3.0, 6.8) before the game and 7.0 (4.3, 10.0; p < 0.001) after the game. Respondents added positive comments, noting that they had learned new coping strategies. They also suggested that time was needed to get used to the game.
Conclusion: Self-efficacy in resisting situational temptations improved after playing the game. Responses suggest that the game was somewhat difficult to play, but the game, as an educational material, produced an enjoyable learning experience.

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