Objective: This systematic review aimed to clarify the effectiveness of exercise programs on postpartum fatigue among healthy postpartum women from randomized controlled trials (RCT).

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and the Ichushi Web database from the dates of their inception. The study inclusion criteria were as follows: 1) RCT for postpartum women, 2) studies that used exercise interventions after childbirth, 3) studies that used an index to measure fatigue, and 4) article written in English or Japanese. We excluded studies that included postpartum women diagnosed as having postpartum depression.

Results: Six of the 62 studies were selected in accordance with the criteria. Three studies showed that fatigue was significantly reduced by exercise. However, after the evaluation and verification for bias, the three studies included items of high or unknown risk. In the three studies, the actual quantity of exercise in the intervention group did not meet the prescribed amount.

Conclusion: We could not clarify the effects of exercise on postpartum fatigue through this literature review. Further research is needed to maintain adherence and conduct high-quality RCTs with low bias to clarify the usefulness of exercise for reducing postpartum fatigue.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to cross-sectionally examine the association between physical fitness and lack of work among individuals 60 years and older who were interested in working.

Methods: The participants included 290 Japanese individuals (mean age (SD), 71.3 (5.5) years; age range, 60– 86 years; male, n = 76; female, n = 214). Isometric knee-extensor strength (KES) was measured using a leg strength measurement unit. The working situation and the reason for lack of work, i.e., concerns about one’s own physical fitness, were assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. This study defined lack of work as having no paid work for the past year. A logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the sex, age, and BMI-adjusted relationships between KES and lack of work.

Results: In total, 166 participants including 39 who were concerned about their own physical fitness were not working according to the abovementioned definition. For lack of work for all causes, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of the second and third KES tertiles of participants versus the first tertile were 0.67 (0.37-1.22) and 0.69 (0.37-1.27), respectively. For lack of work due to one’s own physical fitness, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of the second and third KES tertiles of participants versus the first tertile were 0.54 (0.23-1.28) and 0.33 (0.12-0.89), respectively.

Conclusion: The present study suggests that a high KES was associated with a lower proportion of individuals 60 years and older who lacked work. Further longitudinal studies are needed to examine the causal relationship.

Objective: The physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle of examinees may result in decrease in physical fitness and mental health risks. The purpose of this study is to clarify the changes in physical activity and sitting times of youth from the pre-examination to the examination period.

Methods: A total of 14,879 third-year students from 81 cooperating schools in Tokyo (45 junior high schools, 36 high schools) twice in one year, in June 2018 (before the examination period) and November (the examination period) were surveyed for the amount of physical activity and sitting time using the Japanese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short version). The analysis divided the subjects into 12 groups according to grade (junior high school student, high school student), gender (male, female), and whether or not one experienced examinations (external examination, internal advancement, non-advancement). Changes in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sitting time were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. The significance level was 5%.

Results: The 74 schools (40 junior high schools, 34 high schools) that cooperated in responding, totaling 18,733 students (6,929 junior high school students, 11,804 high school students: valid response rate: 76.1%) were the subject of analysis. MVPA significantly decreased during the examination period in all groups of external examinees and internal advancement students, while external students showed a significant increase in sitting time. MVPA of non-advanced high school male students also decreased significantly during the examination period.

Conclusion: It was found that most adolescents taking the external examinations became physically inactive and sedentary during the examination period, and even those who were planning to go to high school or university had succumbed from physical inactivity. Also, the results suggest that examinations had a negative effect on the physical activity of students that had not undergone examinations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between left-right difference of one-leg standing time and severity of locomotive syndrome among community-dwelling older people.

Methods: A total of 1,211 community-dwelling older people participated in our study at 2017. One-leg standing times were measured and the subjects were divided into three groups depending on differences between left and right leg time values: no difference (A), difference of less than 10 seconds (B), and difference of more than 10 seconds (C). The severity of locomotive syndrome was assessed by the self-assessment questionnaire “locomo-5”. The percentage of subjects who tested positive for locomotive syndrome was compared in the three groups, and according to the maximum one-leg standing time values of less than 15 seconds, 15 seconds and more to less than 60 seconds, and 60 seconds. Risk ratios were calculated for positive versus negative of locomotive syndrome.

Results: The proportion of subjects with locomotive syndrome among the group with the maximum one-leg standing time of 60 seconds showed a significant difference between group A (6.4%) and group C (12.8%) (p=0.030). For the 60 seconds maximum standing leg-time group, the risk ratio was 1.76 in group C versus group A (p=0.040). In the other maximum one-leg standing time groups, the results were not statistically significant.

Conclusion: Among the older people with one-leg standing time of 60 seconds, the left-right differences in one-leg standing time was positively associated with the severity of locomotive syndrome.

Objective: This study examined whether participation in organized sports during childhood and adolescence was associated with objectively-assessed physical activity (PA) and sedentary time in university students.

Methods: The participants were 36 male and 46 female university students. Participation in organized sports in preschool, primary school, junior high school, and high school was self-reported. Time spent in light PA, moderate PA (MPA), vigorous intensity PA and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and sedentary time were assessed with an accelerometer.

Results: For males, sports participation in the high school years was found to be significantly correlated with lower sedentary time in university students after adjusting for age, body mass index and MVPA (estimated mean values: 891.9 vs. 731.5 min/day, p=0.039). For females, sports participation in the junior high school years (estimated mean values: 62.8 vs. 83.5 min/day, p=0.007; 64.1 vs. 86.1 min/day, p=0.007) and high school years (estimated mean values: 68.6 vs. 83.3 min/day, p=0.029; 69.6 vs. 86.3 min/day, p=0.019) was found to be associated with significant higher MPA and MVPA in university students after adjusting for age, body mass index and sedentary time. On the other hand, sports participation in preschool and primary school did not predict any PA and sedentary time in university students.

Conclusion: The present study suggests that promoting sports participation in junior high school and high school for females and in high school for males may be associated with higher MPA and MVPA and lower sedentary time in university students, respectively.