Post by: Angel Eyes on June 13, 2008, 11:46:01 AM
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Japan, Seeking Trim Waists, Measures Millions
By NORIMITSU ONISHI
Published: June 13, 2008
AMAGASAKI, Japan Japan, a country not known for its overweight people, has undertaken one of the most ambitious campaigns ever by a nation to slim down its citizenry.
Summoned by the city of Amagasaki one recent morning, Minoru Nogiri, 45, a flower shop owner, found himself lining up to have his waistline measured. With no visible paunch, he seemed to run little risk of being classified as overweight, or metabo, the preferred word in Japan these days.
But because the new state-prescribed limit for male waistlines is a strict 33.5 inches, he had anxiously measured himself at home a couple of days earlier. Im on the border, he said.
Under a national law that came into effect two months ago, companies and local governments must now measure the waistlines of Japanese people between the ages of 40 and 74 as part of their annual checkups. That represents more than 56 million waistlines, or about 44 percent of the entire population.
Those exceeding government limits 33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for women, which are identical to thresholds established in 2005 for Japan by the International Diabetes Federation as an easy guideline for identifying health risks and having 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.
To reach its goals of shrinking the overweight population by 10 percent over the next four years and 25 percent over the next seven years, the government will impose financial penalties on companies and local governments that fail to meet specific targets. The countrys Ministry of Health argues that the campaign will keep the spread of diseases like diabetes and strokes in check.
By NORIMITSU ONISHI
Published: June 13, 2008
AMAGASAKI, Japan Japan, a country not known for its overweight people, has undertaken one of the most ambitious campaigns ever by a nation to slim down its citizenry.
Summoned by the city of Amagasaki one recent morning, Minoru Nogiri, 45, a flower shop owner, found himself lining up to have his waistline measured. With no visible paunch, he seemed to run little risk of being classified as overweight, or metabo, the preferred word in Japan these days.
But because the new state-prescribed limit for male waistlines is a strict 33.5 inches, he had anxiously measured himself at home a couple of days earlier. Im on the border, he said.
Under a national law that came into effect two months ago, companies and local governments must now measure the waistlines of Japanese people between the ages of 40 and 74 as part of their annual checkups. That represents more than 56 million waistlines, or about 44 percent of the entire population.
Those exceeding government limits 33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for women, which are identical to thresholds established in 2005 for Japan by the International Diabetes Federation as an easy guideline for identifying health risks and having 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.
To reach its goals of shrinking the overweight population by 10 percent over the next four years and 25 percent over the next seven years, the government will impose financial penalties on companies and local governments that fail to meet specific targets. The countrys Ministry of Health argues that the campaign will keep the spread of diseases like diabetes and strokes in check.
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But on a shopping strip here, Kenzo Nagata, 73, a toy store owner, said he had ignored a letter summoning him to a so-called special checkup. His waistline was no ones business but his own, he said, though he volunteered that, at 32.7 inches, it fell safely below the limit. He planned to disregard the second notice that the city was scheduled to mail to the recalcitrant.
Im not going, he said. I dont think that concerns me.
Im not going, he said. I dont think that concerns me.
One can't help but wonder if our pending "universal healthcare" will include such measures.
Kudos to Kenzo Nagata.
Post by: Manedwolf on June 13, 2008, 11:51:01 AM
Don't worry about that happening here.
Post by: Tallpine on June 13, 2008, 11:51:51 AM
I'm trying to think of something about measuring my cold dead waistline
Post by: AZRedhawk44 on June 13, 2008, 12:30:33 PM
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33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for women
But...but... the women are supposed to weigh less...
Why are women "allowed" to fat-up more than men are in Japan? I'm sure there's an exclusion for pregnancy, but even in Asia where "tall" men are 5'6", the women are still a couple inches shorter than men. And they're measuring "waists", not hips.In all seriousness, is there any metabolic reason why women would be held to a lower standard for "healthy" by waistline measurement?
Post by: SADShooter on June 13, 2008, 12:47:22 PM
Post by: cambeul41 on June 13, 2008, 12:59:14 PM
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/world/asia/13fat.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Last week in Japan, my wife bought me a 44 inch belt for a very small amount. A 36 inch belt woud fit better, but she couldn't pass up a bargain. Perhaps it was cheap because there was no demand for such a size.
Post by: atomd on June 13, 2008, 01:46:05 PM
Wrong culture. They're used to being told what to do.
Don't worry about that happening here.
Don't worry about that happening here.
I saw a segment on their transit system a while back. They have a guy who works in the train station and it appeared that his only job was to pack people into the trains. And I mean PACK.
Post by: Gewehr98 on June 13, 2008, 01:50:57 PM
Post by: Manedwolf on June 13, 2008, 02:00:41 PM
I saw a segment on their transit system a while back. They have a guy who works in the train station and it appeared that his only job was to pack people into the trains. And I mean PACK.
They have been doing that since the 1930's. Trains now run at 200% capacity during rush hour.
Post by: HankB on June 13, 2008, 02:30:00 PM
Post by: Manedwolf on June 13, 2008, 03:20:19 PM
Wonder if the summonses go out to the sumo schools . . . and who serves them!
I am picturing the guy with the summons being bumped back out the door, if so...
Post by: Firethorn on June 13, 2008, 03:40:03 PM
Wonder if the summonses go out to the sumo schools . . . and who serves them!
I am picturing the guy with the summons being bumped back out the door, if so...
Maybe they measure their necks instead...
Of course, some would probably STILL be over.
BTW, this system has the same problem that the USAF system has - it doesn't sound like it have a modifier for height. Of course, this is more critical in the USAF, which has to worry about a much larger proportion of six foot plus athletic types - who won't have a 33.5" waist even if emancipated to the point of ill health.
Post by: Gewehr98 on June 13, 2008, 03:52:53 PM
Post by: Manedwolf on June 13, 2008, 04:16:42 PM
That's what I loved about the USAF before I retired 2 years ago. Everybody's supposed to have a 34 inch waist, regardless of height.
Bet that doesn't apply to generals.
I remember hearing a rumor that the reason they left the belted four-pocket jacket and went to the blue one in the 50's was because the generals, who had been trim in WWII, didn't look so good in the slender-belted jackets now.
Post by: Bogie on June 13, 2008, 04:26:23 PM
Post by: Gewehr98 on June 13, 2008, 04:30:26 PM
As for the bus driver uniforms, one must thank former Air Force Chief of Staff Merrill McPeak for that.
We even had green nomex flight suits with sewn-in military creases and epaulets thanks to him.
Thankfully, they disappeared from the inventory rather quickly after he retired.
Post by: The Annoyed Man on June 13, 2008, 04:34:42 PM
Post by: Bogie on June 13, 2008, 04:42:09 PM
They said he had a constant battle with the "you have to weigh this" regulations.
I had a buddy in college who was 5'8" and weighed around 250-260ish. He was squatting in the weight room one day and broke a bar. They said he had over 700 on it.
Post by: Dntsycnt on June 13, 2008, 04:42:51 PM
Post by: Manedwolf on June 13, 2008, 04:46:47 PM
We even had green nomex flight suits with sewn-in military creases and epaulets thanks to him.
Wow. Those didn't even make it to the surplus market. I've never seen those in the flea-market or surplus store piles of nomex greens, no matter how patched up they were.
Post by: Stand_watie on June 13, 2008, 04:55:40 PM
Wonder if the summonses go out to the sumo schools . . . and who serves them!
I am picturing the guy with the summons being bumped back out the door, if so...
Maybe they measure their necks instead...
Of course, some would probably STILL be over.
....even if emancipated to the point of ill health.
Post by: Scout26 on June 13, 2008, 06:57:56 PM
Last time I had a 34" waist I weighed 210 pounds...
And Dinosaurs ruled the earth.....
(sorry Bogie, but if you're going to tee it like that, I'm taking it outta the park !!)
Post by: Phyphor on June 14, 2008, 02:34:08 PM
Yup. One of the little bastards tried to pack myself and a couple fellow visiting aircrew into the train at Tachikawa. We Americans are still a good deal bigger in stature and push-back stamina, as they soon discovered.
So, you just had to Gaijin smash the poor bastard, huh?
Post by: LadySmith on June 15, 2008, 01:22:10 AM
I'm trying to think of something about measuring my cold dead waistline
In all seriousness, is there any metabolic reason why women would be held to a lower standard for "healthy" by waistline measurement?
Metabolically, we store approx. 5% more fat than men. Women tend to have more body fat than men even though we can weigh less. Men tend to have more muscle mass, which weighs more than fat even though it's lean tissue.
Post by: Silver Bullet on June 15, 2008, 10:31:25 AM
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Last week in Japan, my wife bought me a 44 inch belt for a very small amount. A 36 inch belt woud fit better, but she couldn't pass up a bargain.
Ha! Wives ! My wife will buy a video tape that neither of us likes if it's in the closeout bin for $2.00.
Post by: LadySmith on June 16, 2008, 12:01:07 AM
Ha! Wives ! My wife will buy a video tape that neither of us likes if it's in the closeout bin for $2.00.
Forget sweet nothings...try the little four letter word I really love to hear: SALE