title: Serum interleukin-18 levels are associated with physical activity in Japanese men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the link between serum interleukin-18 (IL-18) levels and physical activity in Japanese men.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 81 men (45.7±17.6 years old) was enrolled in this cross-sectional investigation study. We assessed anthropometric and body composition parameters. Serum IL-18 levels, physical activity by uniaxial accelerometers, peak oxygen uptake and metabolic risk parameters were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum IL-18 levels were 179.4±84.7 pg/mL. Physical activity evaluated by Σ[metabolic equivalents × h per week (METs⋅h/w)]was significantly and negatively correlated with serum IL-18 levels (r = -0.252, p = 0.0235). These associations remained even after adjusting for age, peak oxygen uptake and other confounding factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum IL-18 levels were closely associated with physical activity independent of peak oxygen uptake in Japanese men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kita, Kagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanae
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kita, Kagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyatake
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kita, Kagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakano
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kita, Kagawa, Japan ; Okayama Southern Institute of Health, Okayama Health Foundation, Kita, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion and Exercise Program, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Motohiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyachi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan.
authors.forename: Izumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tabata
authors.affiliation: Okayama Southern Institute of Health, Okayama Health Foundation, Kita, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Numata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18