Elucidating the causes and routes of mild to moderate heat related illness in the workplace and developing specific preventive measures

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K10449
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58030:Hygiene and public health-related: excluding laboratory approach
• Research Institution: Fukushima Medical University
• Principal Investigator: KAKAMU Takeyasu 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (20452550)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 伊藤 央奈 郡山女子大学, 家政学部, 准教授 (20835227) ; 日高 友郎 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (70644110) ; 遠藤 翔太 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (90778309)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 熱中症予防 / 産業保健 / 栄養

Outline of Final Research Achievements

An experiment was conducted on a fire department in Fukushima Prefecture to investigate the relationship between nutritional intake and behavior related to heat related illness in the workplace.
The relationship between salt intake before and after exercise in a hot environment and heat related illness was examined, and it was found that when salt was ingested before exercise, the odds ratio of developing heat related illness symptoms was significantly increased, making it clear that inappropriate salt intake is a risk factor for heat related illness.
When the relationship between mineral intake in dietary intake and heat related illness symptoms was examined, no significant difference was found, but the group that experienced heat related illness symptoms tended to ingest excessively more or less than the group that did not, suggesting the involvement of minerals in heat related illness.

Free Research Field

産業保健、熱中症予防

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来熱中症対策として塩分摂取の重要性が言われてきたが、本研究は、塩分摂取について、そのタイミングも重要であることが示唆された。特に、予防的な塩分摂取はむしろ熱中症リスクを上昇させることは、今後の熱中症予防の指針に大きく影響を与えるものである。
また、塩分についても今まではNaClに着目したものが多くであったが、それ以外の微量元素にも今後着目の余地を与えるものとなった。