This study showed a significant association between IOP and obesity in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis. These findings suggest that obesity is an independent risk factor for increase in IOP.

No abstract

No abstract

OBJECTIVE:To examine whether polymorphisms of the estrogen receptor (ER) a gene are associated with body fat distribution. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, epidemiological study of two single-nucleotide polymorphisms, a T-C (PvuII) and an A-G (XbaI), in the first intron of the ERa gene. SUBJECTS: A total of 2238 community-dwelling middle-aged and elderly Japanese population (age: 40-79 y). MEASUREMENTS: The ERa genotypes (by automated fluorescent allele-specific DNA primer assay system), anthropometric variables, fat mass (FM) and percentage FM (%FM) (by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry). RESULTS: FM and waist were inversely associated with age (r ¼ À0.630 and À0.504, respectively) in women with the GG genotype. On the other hand, waist circumference of the AA genotype was positively correlated with age (r ¼ 0.231). Thus, for middle-aged women (40-59 y) with the AG or GG genotype body mass index (BMI), %FM, FM, waist, hip and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were larger than those with the AA genotype. In particular, FM and waist were greater by 20% and 9%, respectively, for the GG genotype, compared to the AA genotype. Alternatively, FM and waist were smaller by 18% and 6%, respectively, in older women with the GG genotype, compared to the AA genotype. No effect was found among the A-G polymorphisms for men. For both genders, no difference was found in any variables among the TT, TC and CC genotypes with the exception of BMI of older men (60-79 y). CONCLUSION: No association was found between the ERa gene polymorphisms and body fat distribution in men. For women, the A-G polymorphism, in particular the GG genotype, may contribute to the development of upper-body obesity in middleaged individuals, but may serve to decrease the whole-body and abdominal fat tissue of older individuals.

Frequencies and circumstances of falls were assessed among 1030 middle-aged and elderly people who participated in the NILS-LSA (National Institute for Longevity Sciences, Longitudinal Study of Aging) from November, 1997 to March, 1999 and responded to the questionnaires. The variables analyzed in the present study were demography and history of falls in the past one year. Circumstances of falls, e.g. time, location, activities associated with falls, cause of falls and degree of injury due to falls were asked when the subjects experienced a fall. Fear of falling was also investigated in all subjects. The prevalence of falls was 12.9% in the middle-aged group (40-59yr.) and 16.5% in the elderly group (60-79yr.). The distribution of time, location, activity associated with falls, cause and injury due to falls corresponded with previous fall studies among community-dwelling elderly people. The incidence of falls was extremely high during the daytime and outdoors. Falls occurred most frequently while walking. The majority of falls were due to extrinsic factors. About 40% of all falls caused no injury. As to the fear of falling, about 30% of the middle-aged subjects and about 60% of the elderly subjects reported that they were fearful. Our results suggested that fall accidents are not rare, even in middle-aged people.