Gautam John wrote:
Under a national law that came into effect two months ago, companies
and local governments must measure the waistlines of Japanese people
ages 40 to 74 as part of their annual checkups. That represents more
than 56 million waistlines, or about 44 percent of the population.
Those exceeding government limits -- 33.5 inches for men and 35.4
inches for women, which are similar to thresholds established in 2005
for Japan by the International Diabetes Federation as an easy
guideline for identifying health risks -- and suffering from a
weight-related ailment will be given dieting guidance if after three
months they do not lose weight. If necessary, those people will be
steered toward further re-education after six more months.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004474437_obesity13.html?syndication=rss
Yep. I've been measured as part of my Sun-mandated annual physical in
which they pick, poke, and prod every freaking inch of your body. I'm an
American, so I'm classified as "obese" according to the Japanese. And I
didn't fit into the x-ray machine, too. Too tall. Sigh.
But on a more serious note, Japan is dying. Literally. The whole
country. The population today is about 125 million but will be cut in
half in 50 years because people are not having kids and the government
is determined to keep immigrants (foreigners) out. So, Japan will slowly
die away sometime late this century (estimates range, of course).
People live a very, very long time here, but more recently age-related
degenerative diseases are rising due to the impressively obscene use of
tobacco and alcohol and Western food (mostly American food). But even
though the government is just starting /starting/ to worry about some of
these things, and even though people are getting heaver, what strikes
you when you come to Japan is how darn /skinny/ everyone is. :)
Jim
--
http://blogs.sun.com/jimgris/
