Objective: Since 2008, our institution has been conducting Specific Health Examinations as part of medical check-ups. We investigated changes in examination data over a period of a year for subjects who were given health guidance and those who were not.
Methods: Those surveyed were 381 people who received Specific Health Guidance in 2008 and underwent Specific Health Examinations in 2009. We compared the Specific Health Examination results for weight, waist circumference, blood pressure and blood tests (only when values were abnormal) in 2008 with those in 2009 for an Active Support Group, a Motivating Support Group, an Other Health Guidance Group (guidance other than active support or motivating support) and a No Health Guidance Group.
Results: Compared with the No Health Guidance Group, there were significant reductions in weight, waist circumference and fasting blood glucose in the 3 health guidance groups.
Conclusion: We assume that Specific Health Guidance had an influence in the significant decreases in weight, waist circumference and fasting blood glucose observed in the groups that received it.

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Objective: To examine differences in breast cancer mortality and prognosis between women who received health examinations and those who did not in Fujieda City.
Methods: Over the five-year period from 2005 to 2009, we investigated breast cancer deaths in Fujieda City based on municipal mortality statistics. Patients'ages, breast cancer diagnosis details, and cancer durations were determined from the statistics. Of a total of 146,980 women investigated, 44,783 had undergone routine breast examinations but 102,197 had not.
Results: Fifty-seven patients died of breast cancer over the five-year study period. There were 10 deaths among patients who had been examined and 47 deaths among patients who had not been examined. The death rate for patients in their 50s and 60s was significantly higher than that in patients in their 30s and 40s (p<0.05). Eighty-two percent of patients in the non-examined group died versus 18% of patients in the examined group. Of patients diagnosed with cancer, 64% of non-examined patients in their 50s and 60s died, with 19% dying within 2 years of diagnosis and 75% within 3 years or more. As for examined patients, 0% died within 2 years of diagnosis and 100% of patients died within 3 years or more. Statistically fewer patients in the examined group died. (p<0.05)
Conclusion: Breast cancer deaths were less frequent in the examined group than in the non-examined group (p<0.05). Breast cancer mortality is increasing in Fujieda City (p<0.05).

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Objective: The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the immunoreactive insulin (IRI) response during a 75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in subjects with a normal OGTT pattern.
Methods: Out of 1,036 persons who underwent the OGTT, 680 with a normal OGTT pattern were enrolled in the present study. Persons enrolled were classified into 2 categories: normal IRI response pattern with IRI level peaking at 30 min; delayed IRI response pattern with IRI level peaking after 30 min.
Results: Of the 680 subjects, 280 (41.2%) had the normal IRI response pattern, and 400 (58.8%) had the delayed IRI response pattern. The delayed IRI response pattern exhibited increased fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 1-h plasma glucose (PG), elevated homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and a decreased 30-min insulinogenic index (I.I.)(p<0.001).
Conclusion: The present study indicates that a delayed IRI response pattern is related to FPG, 1h-PG, HOMA-IR, and I.I..

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Objective: The aim of this study was to promote smoking cessation in school education. We conducted a questionnaire survey of teachers to determine changes in smoking rates and awareness regarding smoking in pace with the gradual spread of smoke-free school premises.
Methods: The Kano Test for Social Nicotine Dependence (KTSND; maximum score 30) was given to schoolteachers who had undergone periodic health check-ups in 2005, 2006, and 2007. In 2006 only, we included the questions: (1) Have you lectured students on the disadvantages of smoking? and (2) How effective is the smoking ban in your school?
Results: The smoking rates for male teachers in the 3 consecutive years were 31.3%, 34.8%, and 26.6%, respectively, with the lowest rate in the third year. Those for female teachers were 8.6%, 10.5%, and 10.5% respectively, showing that the rate was consistently higher in the second and third years. For teachers who smoked, the KTSND scores for men were 17.9 ± 4.6, 17.2 ± 4.9, and 16.8 ± 4.9 respectively, and thus the lowest scores werein the third year. In contrast, those for women were 14.3 ± 3.0, 12.9 ± 2.8, and 15.0 ± 2.8 respectively, with scores highest in the third year. Among non-smoking male teachers, the KTSND score (14.2 ± 5.7) for those who worked in schools where smoking was permitted was significantly (p = 0.012) higher than that for those who worked in smoke-free school buildings (9.9 ± 5.3) and school premises (10.8 ± 6.7). In other words, non-smoking teachers working in schools where smoking was permitted had a psychological tendency to accept smoking. However, this tendency was not observed in current smokers and ex-smokers among male teachers. Interestingly, in the case of male teachers who lectured their students on the disadvantages of smoking, the KTSND score decreased in both current smokers (p = 0.034) and ex-smokers (p = 0.009), suggesting that lecturing on this topic may have made them more aware of the harmful effects of smoking.
Conclusion: The smoking ban in school premises and lecturing students on the disadvantages of smoking resulted in changing the awareness of schoolteachers regarding smoking and affected their smoking habit.

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Objective: “The Health Check for Japanese Residents in the Netherlands” is organized by the authors' clinic in a Dutch public hospital for employees of Japanese companies in the Netherlands and their families. For this Japanese population, blood lipids and other risk factors for atherosclerotic disease may be influenced by changes in their lifestyle. This study demonstrates the importance of controlling dyslipidemia from a prevention perspective on the basis of an analysis of risk factors and risk evaluation in this population.
Methods: The data obtained from 1,170 (657 male and 513 female) subjects, 30 years and older, who were first-time participants in the above health check held between January, 2003 and September, 2010, were used. Specifically, data on sex, age, BMI, blood pressure, lipids, fasting glucose, smoking habits, family history of atherosclerotic disease, exercise and alcohol consumption were studied. They were analyzed with regard to dyslipidemia and other risk factors for atherosclerotic disease and statistically compared with available Japanese data.
Results: After adjustment for age, LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio, and fasting glucose were significantly increased in the males compared with the corresponding Japanese data. An increased level of LDL-cholesterol was by far the most frequent risk factor. With respect to the remaining risk factors, their results were better than those of Japanese men living in Japan, whereas for the females the results were always better than for women in Japan.
Conclusions: Dyslipidemia was the main risk factor for atherosclerotic disease in the study population, while the involvement of other risk factors was minimal. Health guidance for this group should therefore focus on lipid management.

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