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: To examine psychosocial determinants associated with sports injury severity in judo as well as track and field sports.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted with male and female university judo players (n=793) and track-and-field athletes (n=655), who were identified using the snowball sampling. The questionnaire included the following items; the state of sports injuries, competition records, individual traits, coping resources, health-related issues, and stress responses. The questionnaire was conducted twice within a one-year interval. Responses of participants without sports injuries were analyzed in the first survey (judo: n=222, track-and-field: n=191). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted on each type of sport with the states of injuries after one year (uninjured, mildly injured, and severely injured) as objective variables and standardized psychosocial determinants at the first survey as explanatory variables, by adjusting for gender, age, competition records, and duration of past injuries.

Results: In the second survey conducted after one year, the incidence of mild and severe injuries was 40 (18%) and 20 (9%) for judo players, 14 (7%) and 18 (9%) for track-and-field athletes. Multivariate analysis was conducted, and adjusted odds ratios[95%CI] compared to the uninjured judo players were as follows; the sense of authenticity=.49[.27-.90] in the mildly injured group, acquired resilience=2.26[1.03-4.98], problem-solving behavioral traits=2.86[1.30-6.27], and reduced mental health=3.26[1.41-7.54] in the severely injured group (p <.05). On the other hand, adjusted odds ratios compared to the uninjured track-and-field athletes’ group were as follows; self-confidence for health management =.32[.13-.77] in the mildly injured group, innate resilience=.36[.14-.91] and acquired resilience=2.60[1.08-6.25] in the severely injured group (p <.05).

Conclusion: It was indicated that factors related to the occurrence of sports injuries differed based on the types of sports and the degree of severity. Moreover, it was suggested that acquired resilience might increase the risk of having severe injuries in both types of sports.

Objective: Socioeconomic status, measured by factors, such as parents’ incomes, occupations, and educational levels, has been found to influence children’s exercise habits. However, these associations have not been clarified among Japanese children. This study examined the associations between parents’ educational levels, used to measure socioeconomic status, and the exercise habits of Japanese children.

Methods: Participants were children aged 9–15 years who responded to a survey conducted in Koshu city, Yamanashi in July 2011. Parents’ educational data were collected from the maternal and child management cards created at the time of pregnancy registration. Exercise habits data were obtained from the children’s self-report questionnaires. Poisson regression analysis adjusting for child’s month of age and body mass index tested the associations between parents’ educational levels and children’s time spent in exercising.

Results: Participants were 658 children (360 boys and 298 girls with a follow-up rate of 87.5%). Elementary school girls of parents with 13 or more years of education were more likely to exercise less than 7 hours per week than elementary school girls of parents with 12 or fewer years of education (PR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.00-1.69, p = 0.0498). However, no significant influences of parents’ educational levels were found for boys or junior high school girls.

Conclusion: Among elementary school girls, parents’ educational levels were negatively associated with time spent in exercise. Although this study’s results suggest that parental socioeconomic status might influence their children’s exercise habits, further studies in the other regions are needed as well.

Objectives: Community-based projects or population approaches undertaken by municipalities to promote physical activity comprise multistage dimensions, such as disseminating information about the project, enhancing its recognition, evaluating its effectiveness, and sustaining it. However, few comprehensive assessment tools have been utilized for such projects. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive assessment tool for municipal projects that promote physical activity.

Methods: Seventeen researchers reviewed the literature and constructed a model to assess the process and effectiveness of projects. The model divided the projects into multistage dimensions. Measurement items were developed for each dimension. The model was applied to existing projects in 6 municipalities.

Results: The RE-AIM model was adopted as the basis of the new model. A sixth dimension - Plan - was then added before Adoption (to form a modified RE-AIM model: PAIREM). The main items in the 6 dimensions were as follows: health goal and target population [Plan]; the proportion of administrative units adopting the project in a municipality [Adoption]; information, education, and support deliveries [Implementation]; the proportion of the target population that received information and education and recognized the project [Reach]; the status of achievement of the health goal [Effectiveness]; and long-term adoption and effectiveness [Maintenance]. The model and its items successfully assessed the projects conducted by the 6 municipalities.

Conclusion: A comprehensive assessment tool was developed for population approaches that promote physical activity. The model and its items will enable public health sectors to regularly evaluate the process and effectiveness of their projects.

Objective: To examine whether physical activity and sedentary behavior were associated with the occurrence of falls among a community-dwelling older population.

Methods: This was a community-based, 1-year prospective cohort study. In 2009, baseline questionnaires were mailed to 3080 randomly selected residents aged 60 to 79 years; 2534 residents (82.3%) responded to the baseline survey, and 1-year follow-up surveys were subsequently mailed to them. The data for 1890 respondents who had no falls in the past year at baseline were analyzed. Physical activity and sedentary behavior were assessed by the Japanese short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Association between physical activity status (moderate to vigorous physical activity; MVPA and sedentary behavior time; SBT) and the occurrence of falls was analyzed by multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analysis with adjustment for sex, age, education years, self-rated health, depressive symptom, smoking, chronic disease history, chronic knee pain, medication use and consultation with physicians.

Results: A total of 163 (10.5%) participants had at least one fall during 12 months at 1-year follow-up. MVPA level was not significantly associated with falls. Compared with adults reporting lowest MVPA (0 MET-hours/week), odds ratios for falls were 1.72 (95% confidential interval; CI 0.98–3.02) among those with the middle MVPA (8.25–23.0 MET-hours/week) and 1.31 (95% CI 0.75–2.29) among those with the highest MVPA (≥75.4 MET-hours/week). However, the longest SBT (≥420 min/day) was significantly associated with higher risk of falls (adjusted odds ratio=1.96, 95% CI=1.02–3.79), compared with the shortest SBT (0–119 min/day).

Conclusions: Prolonged SBT was associated with greater risk of falls in older adults. Our findings indicate the importance of evaluating the SBT as a predictor of falls in community-dwelling older adults. Future longitudinal studies with objective measurements are needed.