• This meta-analysis examined smoking and diabetes risk among Japanese.
• Current and former smokers showed a higher risk of diabetes than non-smokers.
• Diabetes risk linearly increased with higher consumption of cigarettes.
• Diabetes risk steadily decreased after smoking cessation.

• Lower daytime indoor temperature was associated with higher PLT count in winter.
• The association was independent of outdoor temperature and socioeconomic status.
• The 1,095 elderly participants spent the majority of their time at home (87.3%).

• The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia were highest in China.
• The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia were lowest in Japan.
• Some dietary behaviors improved hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia.
• These dietary behaviors differed by sex, age, and marital status.

• This study is a nationwide population-based cohort study.
• This study aimed to evaluate the association between hemorrhoid and risk of PAOD.
• Increased risk of PAOD in patients with hemorrhoids was found in this study.

• Lower serum EPA:AA ratio was significantly associated with higher cancer mortality.
• The risk of death from liver cancer increased with lower serum EPA:AA ratio.
• No significant association was found between serum DHA:AA ratio and cancer death.

• Both low and high temperatures were significantly associated with FeNO.
• The increases of fine and coarse PM concentrations were associated with FeNO.
• Both fine and coarse PM had stronger effects in cool days.

• Incidence rate of sick-leave lasting ≥30 days was studied in 12 Japanese companies.
• The major causes were mental disorder, neoplasms, and pregnancy-related disease.
• Mental disorder and pregnancy-related disease were common in women aged 30–39 years.

• We examined which blood pressure (BP) components increased risk of proteinuria.
• We used systolic BP, diastolic BP, pulse pressure, and mean arterial pressure.
• Systolic and diastolic BP were the best predictors of persistent proteinuria.

• Participants with FEV1/FVC values < 70% had significantly elevated HbA1c levels.
• Age, HbA1c, and current or former smoking were associated with FEV1/FVC values < 70%.
• Elderly ever smokers with elevated HbA1c should undergo screened for COPD.

• Prenatal phthalate exposure was associated with decreased PG levels in girls.
• Postnatal DEHP exposure was related to decreased free TT in boys and PG in girls.
• Use of phthalate-containing products in developing children should be limited.

• We translated the CNAQ and SNAQ into Japanese (CNAQ-J and SNAQ-J).
• The CNAQ-J was found to be constructed of one factor (appetite).
• We developed the SNAQ-JE according to an exploratory factor analysis.
• The CNAQ-J and SNAQ-JE showed acceptable reliability, reproducibility, and validity.
• The CNAQ-J and SNAQ-JE may be applied to assess Japanese elderly's appetite.

• Longer sleep duration was inversely associated with obesity in Chinese children.
• Later bedtime was positively associated with obesity in this population.
• No association between sleep quality and obesity was observed.

• We examined associations between physical activity and disability incidence.
• We quantified amount of leisure-time physical activity.
• A dose–response relationship was found for the risk of disability with dementia.

• Low food access was associated with infrequent eating of foods in older Japanese.
• Low level of relationship with neighbors was also associated with infrequent eating.
• Interaction between food access and neighbor relationships was significant in men.

• Recent EVD outbreaks in Africa (as of September 2015) claimed 12,933 lives.
• Health care workers (HCW) were severely impacted.
• We observed 890 cases of occupational EVD in HCW and a case fatality rate of 57%.
• Use of protective and safety-engineered medical devices should be expanded.
• Periodic training and improving EVD risk communication would enhance preparedness.

• We obtained anthropometric data from 93,538 children aged 3.5–4.5 years.
• Anthropometric data were measured before and after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
• We compared the data in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima vs. the other prefectures.
• Incident overweight was higher in the three prefectures than the other prefectures.

• Malnutrition prevalence in patients waiting for a liver transplant is high.
• The prevalence of malnutrition varied depending on the method of evaluation.
• The overall agreement among the malnutrition assessment methods was low.
• PNI-O was the method of assessment malnutrition with the highest overall agreement.
• NRI obtained the highest positive likelihood ratio for the diagnosis of malnutrition.

• Validity of DPC and SS-MIX data was tested using chart review results as references.
• Specificity of DPC diagnoses was high; sensitivity was low and varied by conditions.
• Procedure records in DPC data were highly sensitive and specific.
• Accuracy of SS-MIX laboratory data exceeded 95% in all 13 items examined.

• Nutrition knowledge questionnaires were developed for Japanese children and adults.
• Higher nutrition knowledge was associated with healthier dietary habits in children.
• Both children's and guardians' nutrition knowledge affected food intakes in children.
• Sex differences in the effect of nutrition knowledge were suggested.

• We estimated gestational weight gain that optimizes pregnancy outcomes in Japanese.
• Optimal gain was 12.2 kg/40 weeks for pre-pregnancy BMI 17.0–18.4 kg/m2.
• Optimal gain was 4.3 kg/40 weeks for pre-pregnancy BMI 25.0–27.4 kg/m2.
• Current national guidelines are too low for women with pre-pregnancy BMI < 18.5 kg/m2.
• BMI > 23 kg/m2 should be defined as overweight if applying IOM recommendations.

• This study investigated 8-year weight change and overall health among Thai adults.
• Weight gain was associated with poor emotional well-being and lower levels of energy.
• Findings highlight the importance of monitoring weight change and health effects.

• Physical activity and sitting with overweight/obesity in employees were studied.
• Heavy occupational activity had a lower overweight/obesity risk.
• Active LTPA and cycling to work were associated with lower overweight/obesity risk.
• Reducing leisure sitting time can reduce the risk of abdominal overweight/obesity.
• The significant results were observed in male employees but not in females.

• We examined diabetes risk by the number and combination of metabolic abnormalities.
• Diabetes risk increased with the number of abnormalities for a given glucose status.
• The combinations that included central obesity were strongly associated with diabetes.

• We conducted this study using the KNHANES from 1998 to 2014.
• Male obesity showed upward trends in overweight/obesity and grade 1 and 2 obesity.
• Overweight/obesity, grade 1, and abdominal obesity were leveling off in females.
• The prevalence of underweight decreased in men but increased in women.

• We observed death and incidence risk with HTLV-I and SNPs in a matched cohort study.
• An increased risk for total death with HTLV-I was observed in the island region.
• Inflammatory SNP interacted with HTLV-I for atherosclerosis-related disease risk.

• Association of birth weight and adult-onset DM was analyzed using JNHS study data.
• Odds ratio for developing DM per 100 g increase in birth weight was 0.93.
• The link was also observed when birth weight percentile for gestational age was used.
• Low birth weight was associated with adult-onset DM, even with normal current BMI.

• We examined validity of intakes using web-FFQ compared with those for the print-FFQ.
• Moderate validities were shown for many estimates based on the web-FFQ.
• These CCs (with 12-day food record) were closely similar to those of the print-FFQ.
• Good concordance between individual rankings were obtained with the two FFQs.
• Mixing of these FFQs for diet survey in epidemiological studies appears acceptable.

• The incidence of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is unknown in Japan.
• A nationwide questionnaire survey has been done to estimate its annual incidence.
• About 120 cases of molecularly confirmed incident LHON were estimated in 2014.

• Frailty is an important priority in Japan, where the population is aging rapidly.
• Japan is a good example of a rapidly aging society for frailty research.
• Five studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis study.
• Pooled prevalence of frailty in Japanese in the community aged >65 years is 7.4%.

• The highest population attributable fraction was for hypertension without obesity.
• The total population attributable fraction of hypertension was 11.7%.
• Hypertension could impose the greatest attribute on Japanese health expenditures.

• Incidence rates for stroke and HF were estimated in Japanese community dwellers.
• Subjects were divided into AF and non-AF groups separately by age (40–69 and ≥70).
• AF increased the risk of stroke by the same magnitude as in Western populations.
• AF increased the risk of HF more than that in Western populations.
• The absolute risk differences of outcomes were larger in the elderly individuals.

• The fixed-effects model can control for time-invariant confounding factors.
• Neighborhood social cohesion was inversely associated with child total problems.
• Neighborhood informal social control was inversely associated with child problems.
• Neighborhood collective efficacy prevents child psychosocial problems.

• Benzodiazepines were prescribed to ≥59% of overdose patients aged ≥19 years.
• Cardiovascular drugs were frequently ingested among overdose patients aged ≥75 years.
• The proportions of patients with recent psychiatric treatments decreased with age.
• Overdose prevention should be optimized according to the age-related differences.

• Regional socioeconomic status (SES) may differently affect mortality by income.
• Impact of area SES on morality among cerebrovascular patients was evaluated.
• Among middle-income patients, poor SES area is associated with poor mortality.
• Poor SES area is associated with better mortality among low-income patients.

• The lack of exercise habit is associated with the incidence of CKD.
• Late-night dinner and bedtime snacking increase the risk of CKD.
• Early lifestyle intervention is necessary to prevent CKD incidence.

• Advanced stage was more frequent in cancer patients with lower economic status.
• Differences of stage by SES were found in stomach, colorectal, and breast cancer.
• Disparities still exist after the National Cancer Screening program in Korea.

• The first report based on cohort study to evaluate smoking and leukemia risk in Japan.
• This study indicates that cigarette smoking increases the risk of AML among men.
• Larger studies are needed on the association of smoking with AML for women.
• Associations with CML and ALL for both sexes also need further study.

• Subjects of this study were 4132 inpatients with Guillain–Barre syndrome.
• Data were derived from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) database.
• Association between comorbidities and mechanical ventilation use was evaluated.
• Cytomegaloviral and herpes simplex viral infections were associated with ventilation.

• The timeliness and completeness of measles vaccination was low.
• The median delay period of measles vaccination was long among Guangxi children.
• Regions with higher measles incidence had higher rates of untimely coverage.

• The association of body mass index (BMI) with stroke remains controversial in Japan.
• Our large cohort study examined the association of interest in a Japanese population.
• Low BMI increased the risk of all-stroke and cerebral infarction incidence in men.
• In contrast, high BMI increased the risk of all-stroke incidence in women.

• The procedures of weighed food records in two independent studies were compared.
• General procedures of the dietary records were the mostly same for both studies.
• Differences were found in the setting of survey days and the survey sheet.
• Setting of survey days did not influence the intra- and inter-individual variation.
• Differences in survey sheets did not influence the portion sizes.

• Over one third of children misperceived their weight status in Guangzhou, China.
• Underestimation of body weight was much more prevalent than overestimation.
• Underestimation was common in younger children, girls, and those with obese parents.
• Children perceived as underweight/overweight had a higher intention to change weight.
• Children perceived as normal weight behaved more healthily on certain behaviors.

• Since 1880, 58.9% of 56 studies reported goiter/iodine deficiency prevalence ≥30%.
• Seventy five percent of studies reported ≥30% goiter prevalence before 1994.
• From 1994 onwards, 32.1% of studies reported goiter/iodine deficiency prevalence ≥30%.

• Suicide showed an increasing trend as income levels decreased.
• Suicide was most frequent in Medicaid recipients.
• Suicide showed different trends across gender and age groups.

• We constructed growth charts for Brazilian youth with Down syndrome aged 0–20 years.
• Brazilian youth with Down syndrome showed substantial growth restriction.
• There were cross-national differences in growth among youth with Down syndrome.

• School children were susceptible to waterborne disease in China.
• Attack rates of rural or primary schools were high.
• Boys trended toward higher risk than girls.
• Unsanitary conditions of water wells were reported frequently.

• In 2011, the mean waist circumference in China was 85.9 cm (men) and 80.7 cm (women).
• In 2011, the prevalence of abdominal obesity was 35.3% in men and 51.7% in women.
• The prevalence in China was lower than in Japan and the United States.

• Young women living with their family had more nutrients not meeting dietary goals.
• Eating out was associated with not meeting dietary goals in those living with family.
• Young women living alone had more inadequate intakes of nutrients.
• Eating out-of-home did not affect nutritional adequacy in those living alone.

• The BMI-mortality association varies considerably between study cohorts.
• We found ethnicity alone to account for 36% of the heterogeneity.
• Age and length of follow-up accounted for 56% of the remaining heterogeneity.

• The validity of FFQ for Japanese pregnant women was shown.
• The FFQ estimated nutritional intake in the early pregnancy period.
• This FFQ was valid even if women had nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

• To clarify the association between General Health Checkups and Medical Expenditures.
• A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a middle-aged Japanese population.
• Non-, low-, and high-frequency utilizers were divided based on the 6-year GHCs.
• 3-year MEs were analyzed using Tweedie distribution for a generalized linear model.
• Outpatient MEs rise when GHCs are frequent, but inpatient and total MEs are lower.

• This meta-analysis included 27 eligible case–control studies.
• IL4 rs2070874 T allele may increase the risk of gastrointestinal cancer.
• IL4R rs1801275 variant may reduce the risk of gastrointestinal cancer.
• Polymorphisms in IL4 and IL4R may affect susceptibility to gastrointestinal cancer.

• Most study failed to capture multiple dimensions of community-level social capital.
• We developed and validated 11-item health related community social capital scale.
• The scale assessed civic participation, social cohesion, and reciprocity.

• Associations between urinary BPA and body composition were examined in U.S. children.
• Gender differences existed in the associations of BPA and body composition.
• BPA levels were positively associated with lean body mass in boys but not in girls.
• BPA levels were positively associated with fat mass in girls but not in boys.

• Risk ratio of incident multiple sclerosis (MS) in T2DM patients was 1.44.
• Risk ratio of incident MS was highest in women aged <50 years.
• The PAR% for T2DM in the MS incidence was estimated at 2.55%.

• The Japanese database for food amino acid compositions was revised in 2010.
• We evaluated the validity and reliability of amino acid intakes assessed via a FFQ.
• The estimation via a new database had better validity than via the former database.
• The estimation using the new database indicated good reliability.

• For East Asian women, overweight increases risk of both luminal and ER-PR- tumors.
• For East Asian women, early menarche increases luminal tumor risk.
• For East Asian women, nulliparity increases luminal tumor risk.

• We conducted a pooled analysis of large-scale cohort studies in Japan.
• A total of 17,681 cases of overall cancers were identified among 191,519 subjects.
• Fruit and vegetable consumption was not associated with the risk of overall cancer.

• Mini Mental State Examination items were not missing completely at random.
• Regression and descriptive analyses have different optimum missing-data techniques.
• Some techniques approximated results obtained using a “gold standard”.

• The DHQ and the BDHQ can assess energy-adjusted protein, sodium, and potassium intake.
• The DHQ can be a useful tool to estimate energy intake during pregnancy.
• Estimating energy intake during pregnancy with the BDHQ is difficult.

• Prevalence of liver dysfunction increased after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
• The change in prevalence of liver dysfunction was greatest in evacuees.
• Evacuation is one risk factor associated with liver dysfunction.

• Educational inequalities in smoking were larger in the young than the old in Japan.
• Junior high school graduates had the highest smoking prevalence among both sexes.
• Graduate school graduates had the lowest smoking prevalence among both sexes.
• A steeper educational gradient in smoking was observed in women than in men.

• The Three-Prefecture Cohort had about 100,000 participants in urban and rural areas.
• This cohort collected detailed information on participants' lifestyles.
• This cohort had data on participants' cancer incidence and mortality.

• Predatory journals claim to be peer reviewed but actually publish all submissions.
• Most work published in predatory journals is of low quality.
• Researchers should be trained to identify predatory and legitimate journals.
• The growth of predatory journals reflects problems with research institutions.
• Efforts should be made to improve research quality and training.

• Dietary vitamin C and carotene were inversely associated with total deaths in China.
• These associations were more pronounced for cardiovascular disease mortality.
• Dietary antioxidant vitamins might not be associated with cancer mortality risk.

• Identify state-dependent initiators and promoters for breast cancer.
• Build a multistage risk assessment model for individual risk stratification.
• Facilitate individually-tailored screening and clinical surveillance.

• Association between alcohol and Internet addiction or excessive use was examined.
• Survey subjects: 100,050 randomly selected high school students throughout Japan.
• Significant association of drinking with problematic Internet use was recognized.

• Maternal smoking in pregnancy is associated with Rapid Weight Gain in early infancy.
• The association of maternal smoking with rapid weight gain was dose-dependent.
• This study was based on a large population-based dataset in Japan.

• Two-thirds of patients with myxedema coma were female, and the mean age was 77 years.
• The mortality rate was 29.5%, and the incidence was 1.08/million people/year.
• Older age and use of catecholamines, with or without steroids, were related to death.

• We conducted meta-analysis of individual data from 8 Japanese cohorts (n = 38,854).
• Diabetes raised cardiovascular mortality in Japan.
• Impact of diabetes on cardiovascular death was similar across 10-year age groups.

• The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among the non-obese teachers was 17.7%.
• The odds of metabolic syndrome increased exponentially from a BMI of 23.0 kg/m2.
• Metabolic syndrome was more prevalent among males, Indians, and older teachers.

• We conducted surveys on physical growth among children in relation to the disaster.
• We acquired one of the largest longitudinal datasets of Japanese preschool children.
• We will provide epidemiological evidence on children's health after the disaster.

• For precision medicine, genetic, clinical and environmental information is crucial.
• Biobank Japan project constructed a clinical database of 200,000 patients.
• This supplement reported the epidemiological studies in the Biobank Japan.

• The BioBank Japan Project (BBJ) enrolled 200,000 patients with 47 target diseases.
• The BBJ is one of the largest patient-based biobanks in the world.
• The BBJ may allow for personalized medicine in the future.

• The BioBank Japan Project (BBJ) annually collected clinical information.
• Analysis of the clinical information at enrollment characterized the BBJ cohort.
• Analysis of family history revealed impacts of host genetic factors on the diseases.

• 141,612 participants with any of 32 diseases were included in the follow-up survey.
• Subject characteristics at enrollment for the follow-up survey were identified.
• The relative survival analysis showed the worst prognosis in pancreatic cancer.
• The most common cause of death in all subjects was malignant neoplasms.

• Among ESCC patients, alcohol drinkers had a poor prognosis.
• Underweight gastric cancer patients had a poor prognosis.
• Gastric cancer patients who exercised had a good prognosis.
• No association between esophageal or gastric cancer and smoking was observed.

• More than 95% were adenocarcinoma both in colon and rectal cancer.
• Rectal cancer patients ate more meat and less green vegetables than colon cancer.
• Eating green vegetables and drinking alcohol moderately decreased the mortality risk.

• Liver cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide.
• We aimed to provide an overview of patients with liver cancer.
• Based on liver cancer histology, 91.9% had hepatocellular carcinoma.
• The 10-year relative survival rates were 34% in men and 38% in women.
• Future studies will help develop preventive programs for liver cancer.

• Nearly one-tenth of Japanese lung cancer patients were diagnosed as stage IV.
• Adenocarcinoma was the most common histological type in both males and females.
• Some characteristics would affect all-cause mortality in lung cancer patients.

• About 1% of Japanese female breast cancer patients were diagnosed as stage IV.
• Invasive carcinoma was much more common than non-invasive carcinoma.
• Papillotubular carcinoma was the most common type of invasive carcinoma.
• About 75% were positive for estrogen receptor and 60% for progesterone receptor.
• Some characteristics would affect all-cause mortality in breast cancer patients.

• Prostate cancer represents the second leading cause of cancer incidence worldwide.
• We aimed to provide an overview of patients with prostate cancer.
• Based on prostate cancer histology, 99.3% had adenocarcinoma.
• The 5- and 10-year relative survival rates were 96.3% and 100.5%.
• Future studies will help develop preventive programs for prostate cancer.

• We developed risk prediction models for death after cardiovascular disease (CVD).
• Performances of these models were validated in an independent cohort.
• Our models may be used to estimate mortality risk in chronic CVD patients.

• Evidence of serum cholesterol control in Japanese dyslipidaemic patients is scarce.
• We analysed data for a large-scale population in hospital settings.
• Our findings provide serum cholesterol levels by different risk profiles.
• Serum lipid levels were the lowest in the youngest patients.
• Data should be carefully applied to patients with mild hyperlipidaemia.

• Statin-mediated reduction of low-density lipoprotein levels reduces mortality.
• Little is known on the effect of non-statin hyperlipidaemia medicines on mortality.
• Statin monotherapy is safe in terms of cancer mortality.
• Statin use may reduce colorectal cancer-related mortality.
• Resin monotherapy was associated with the lowest mortality.

• Detailed glycaemic control data of diabetic patients are necessary.
• Few studies have compared the survival times between type 1 and 2 diabetes.
• Higher glycated HbA1c was observed in type 1 than in type 2 diabetes.
• Data showed higher hazard ratio of mortality in type 1 than in type 2 diabetes.
• Fewer macrovascular complications accompany type 1 than type 2 diabetes.

• Fatal diseases frequently accompany diabetes.
• Data for survival of Asian patients with diabetes with comorbidities are scarce.
• Comorbid chronic kidney disease was associated with the most fatalities.
• Current smoking was as fatal as 10 years of ageing in diabetic patients.
• Values of 1% HbA1c and 10 mmHg blood pressure confer 11% excess mortality risk.

• Confounding depends not only on the target population but also on its four notions.
• It would be helpful to use the total population as the target population.
• Simple examples can be powerful tools for understanding complex causal concepts.

• Childhood ADHD is more prevalent among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.
• We examined the association between household income and childhood ADHD occurrence.
• The occurrence was higher in lower income households during early childhood.

• For women, serum PCB levels were higher in ever-smokers than in never-smokers.
• The risk of high level of POPs was higher in ever-smokers than in never-smokers.
• Subjects who smoked <15 cigarettes/day had a high risk of having high POP levels.

• The first cohort study to evaluate occupational status and periodontal disease.
• Revealed occupational status affects developing periodontal disease over 5 years.
• Skilled workers, sale persons, and drivers had higher risks of periodontal disease.

• Healthy Life Expectancy consists of activity limitation and mortality in Japan.
• We calculated the odds ratio and PAF between activity limitation and every disease.
• Orthopedic, ophthalmic, and psychiatric diseases affect activity limitation primarily.

• A comprehensive health literacy survey tool was validated in several countries.
• Health literacy was significantly associated with education and social status.
• The tool was shown to be reliable for public health survey in Asia.

• We analyzed 2227 subjects for this study from the Jichi Medical Cohort study.
• Progression from pre-HT to HT had 2.95 times higher cardio vascular disease risk.
• The cardio vascular disease risk with pre-HT might increase after progression to HT.

• Evacuation was associated with poor dietary intake after the earthquake.
• Living at home was associated with higher non-juice fruit and vegetable intake.
• Living at home was associated with higher meat, soybean, and dairy product intake.

• Claims data lack stroke severity, a crucial predictor of outcomes after ICH.
• The claims-based stroke severity index correlates well with stroke severity in ICH.
• Stroke severity index is valid for risk adjustment in studies using claims data.

• FFQ has good validity for LC-PUFA among Japanese women in early and late pregnancy.
• High correlations observed for EPA and DHA intake estimated using dietary records.
• High correlations observed for EPA and DHA in serum phospholipid composition.

• Green tea intake was inversely associated with risk of all-cause mortality in China.
• The inverse association was mainly driven by cardiovascular disease mortality.
• No significant association was found between green tea intake and cancer mortality.

• Snacking after dinner was associated with incident depressive symptoms.
• Interaction of snacking after dinner and late night dinner on depressive symptoms.
• Subjects with ≥2 unhealthy eating habits had higher risk of depressive symptoms.