Makoto Watanabe

Bio: Makoto Watanabe is an academic researcher from Shiga University of Medical Science. The author has contributed to research in topics: Population & Masticatory force. The author has an hindex of 12, co-authored 17 publications receiving 877 citations.

Cardiovascular disease and risk factors in Asia: a selected review.

Abstract: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention in Asia is an important issue for world health, because half of the world’s population lives in Asia. Asian countries and regions such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Kingdom of Thailand have greater mortality and morbidity from stroke than from coronary heart disease (CHD), whereas the opposite is true in Western countries.1 The reasons why this specific situation is observed in countries with rapid and early-phase westernization, such as Japan and South Korea, are very interesting. The Seven Countries Study conducted by Keys et al2 in 1957 found that Japanese populations had lower fat intake, lower serum total cholesterol, and lower CHD than populations in the United States and Scandinavia, in spite of higher smoking rates. The serum total cholesterol level in Japan has increased rapidly since World War II in accordance with an increase in dietary fat intake from 10% of total energy intake per capita per day to 25%.1,2 Despite this increase, the specific characteristic of lower CHD incidence and mortality than that in Western countries has persisted.3,4 Whether Japanese people and certain other Asian populations have different risk factors for CHD than Western populations has been a subject of discussion for quite some time. In this article, we discuss the existence of higher stroke rates and lower CHD rates in Asian countries than in Western countries and the respective risk factors for this on the basis of extensive reviews of cohort studies. We also discuss whether these risk factors differ from those of Western countries. Along with this, we examine the relationship between serum total cholesterol and total stroke and its subtypes. We also address the emerging problems and important issues for CVD prevention in Asia. An extensive …

A multifactorial model of masticatory performance: The Suita study

Abstract: Previous studies have identified various factors related to masticatory performance. This study was aimed to investigate variations and impacts of factors related to masticatory performance among different occlusal support areas in general urban population in Japan. A total of 1875 Japanese subjects (mean age: 66·7 years) were included in the Suita study. Periodontal status was evaluated using the Community Periodontal Index (CPI). The number of functional teeth and occlusal support areas (OSA) were recorded, and the latter divided into three categories of perfect, decreased and lost OSA based on the Eichner Index. Masticatory performance was determined by means of test gummy jelly. For denture wearers, masticatory performance was measured with the dentures in place. The multiple linear regression analysis showed that, when controlling for other variables, masticatory performance was significantly associated with sex, number of functional teeth, maximum bite force and periodontal status in perfect OSA. Masticatory performance was significantly associated with number of functional teeth, maximum bite force and periodontal status in decreased OSA. In lost OSA, masticatory performance was significantly associated with maximum bite force. Maximum bite force was a factor significantly influencing masticatory performance that was common to all OSA groups. After controlling for possible confounding factors, the number of functional teeth and periodontal status were common factors in the perfect and decreased OSA groups, and only sex was significant in the perfect OSA group. These findings may help in providing dietary guidance to elderly people with tooth loss or periodontal disease.

Hypertension and lifetime risk of stroke.

Abstract: Background:The lifetime risk (LTR) articulates the probability of disease in the residual lifetime for an index age. These estimates can be useful for general audience-targeted knowledge translation activities against hypertension. There are only a few reports on lifetime of impact of hypertension o

The effect of periodontal status and occlusal support on masticatory performance: the Suita study.

Abstract: Aim In this study, we investigated the effect of differences in periodontal status in the masticatory performance of dentate subjects with the same occlusal supporting area. Materials and methods The subjects of the analysis were classified into those of Eichner A1-3 (n = 1094) and Eichner B1-4 (n = 529). Subjects' periodontal status was evaluated on the basis of the Community Periodontal Index (CPI). The number of functional teeth and occlusal support were investigated, the latter on the basis of the Eichner Index. Furthermore, masticatory performance was investigated by means of test gummy jelly. For each group, periodontal status was classified in two different ways, either with/without moderate periodontitis (CPI Code ≤2/≥3) or with/without severe periodontitis (CPI Code ≤3/4), and masticatory performance was compared between the various groups. Results In subjects who were Eichner A1 and B3, masticatory performance was significantly lower in subjects with moderate periodontitis compared with those without, and in subjects with severe periodontitis compared with those without. Conclusion Periodontal disease affects masticatory performance not only if occlusion is established by natural dentition with no tooth loss but also if occlusal support has decreased.

International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems

Abstract: Background—Although stroke and ischemic heart disease (IHD) have several well-established risk factors in common, the extent of global variation in the relative burdens of these forms of vascular disease and reasons for any observed variation are poorly understood. Methods and Results—We analyzed mortality and disability-adjusted life-year loss rates from stroke and IHD, as well as national estimates of vascular risk factors that have been developed by the World Health Organization Burden of Disease Program. National income data were derived from World Bank estimates. We used linear regression for univariable analysis and the Cuzick test for trends. Among 192 World Health Organization member countries, stroke mortality rates exceeded IHD rates in 74 countries (39%), and stroke disability-adjusted life-year loss rates exceeded IHD rates in 62 countries (32%). Stroke mortality ranged from 12.7% higher to 27.2% lower than IHD, and stroke disability-adjusted life-year loss rates ranged from 6.2% higher to 10.2% lower than IHD. Stroke burden was disproportionately higher in China, Africa, and South America, whereas IHD burden was higher in the Middle East, North America, Australia, and much of Europe. Lower national income was associated with higher relative mortality (P 0.001) and burden of disease (P 0.001) from stroke. Diabetes mellitus prevalence and mean serum cholesterol were each associated with greater relative burdens from IHD even after adjustment for national income. Conclusions—There is substantial global variation in the relative burden of stroke compared with IHD. The disproportionate burden from stroke for many lower-income countries suggests that distinct interventions may be required. (Circulation. 2011; 124:314-323.)

Physician advice for smoking cessation

Abstract: Healthcare professionals frequently advise patients to improve their health by stopping smoking. Such advice may be brief, or part of more intensive interventions. The aims of this review were to assess the effectiveness of advice from physicians in promoting smoking cessation; to compare minimal interventions by physicians with more intensive interventions; to assess the effectiveness of various aids to advice in promoting smoking cessation, and to determine the effect of anti-smoking advice on disease-specific and all-cause mortality.

The Japanese Society of Hypertension Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension (JSH 2019)

Abstract: Satoshi Umemura ● Hisatomi Arima ● Shuji Arima ● Kei Asayama ● Yasuaki Dohi ● Yoshitaka Hirooka ● Takeshi Horio ● Satoshi Hoshide ● Shunya Ikeda ● Toshihiko Ishimitsu ● Masaaki Ito ● Sadayoshi Ito ● Yoshio Iwashima ● Hisashi Kai ● Kei Kamide ● Yoshihiko Kanno ● Naoki Kashihara ● Yuhei Kawano ● Toru Kikuchi ● Kazuo Kitamura ● Takanari Kitazono ● Katsuhiko Kohara ● Masataka Kudo ● Hiroo Kumagai ● Kiyoshi Matsumura ● Hideo Matsuura ● Katsuyuki Miura ● Masashi Mukoyama ● Satoko Nakamura ● Takayoshi Ohkubo ● Yusuke Ohya ● Takafumi Okura ● Hiromi Rakugi ● Shigeyuki Saitoh ● Hirotaka Shibata ● Tatsuo Shimosawa ● Hiromichi Suzuki ● Shori Takahashi ● Kouichi Tamura ● Hirofumi Tomiyama ● Takuya Tsuchihashi ● Shinichiro Ueda ● Yoshinari Uehara ● Hidenori Urata ● Nobuhito Hirawa

Individual behavioural counselling for smoking cessation

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Individual counselling from a smoking cessation specialist may help smokers to make a successful attempt to stop smoking OBJECTIVES: The objective of the review is to determine the effects of individual counselling SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group trials register for studies with counsel* in any field Date of the most recent search: October 1998 SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised or quasi-randomised trials with at least one treatment arm consisting of face to face individual counselling from a health care worker not involved in routine clinical care The outcome was smoking cessation at follow-up at least six months after the start of counselling DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Both reviewers extracted data The intervention and population, method of randomisation and completeness of follow-up were recorded MAIN RESULTS: We identified eleven trials Ten compared individual counselling to a minimal intervention, two compared two intensities of counselling, and one compared individual counselling to group therapy Individual counselling was more effective than control The odds ratio for successful smoking cessation was 155 (95% confidence interval 127 to 190) There was no evidence that more intensive counselling was more effective than brief counselling (odds ratio 117, 95% confidence interval 059 to 234) There was no evidence of a difference in effect between individual counselling and group therapy (odds ratio 133, 95% confidence interval 083 to 213) REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: Smoking cessation counselling can assist smokers to quit

Moderate alcohol consumption lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis of prospective observational studies

Abstract: OBJECTIVE - This meta-analysis was undertaken to obtain insight regarding the shape and strength of the relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes, the effects of adjustment for confounders, and the effect of modification by type 2 diabetes definition, sex, and BMI. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - The 15 original prospective cohort studies that were included comprise 11,959 incident cases of type 2 diabetes in 369,862 individuals who, on average, were followed for 12 years. RESULTS - After pooling the data, a U-shaped relationship was found. Compared with nonconsumers, the relative risk (RR) for type 2 diabetes in those who consumed ≤6 g/day alcohol was 0.87 (95% CI 0.79-0.95). For the moderate consumption ranges of 6-12, 12-24, and 24-48 g/day, RRs of 0.70 (0.61-0.79), 0.69 (0.58-0.81), and 0.72 (0.62-0.84) were found, respectively. The risk of type 2 diabetes in heavy drinkers (≥48 g/day) was equal to that in nonconsumers (1.04 [0.84-1.29]). In general, nonsignificant trends for larger RR reduction associated with moderate alcohol consumption were observed for women compared with men, for crude compared with multivariate-adjusted analyses, and for studies that used self-reports instead of testing for type 2 diabetes definition. No differences in RR reductions were found between individuals with low or high BMI. CONCLUSIONS - The present evidence from observational studies suggests an ∼30% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes in moderate alcohol consumers, whereas no risk reduction is observed in consumers of ≥48 g/day. © 2005 by the American Diabetes Association.