Just as in so many other places around the world,
obesity is on the rise in Japan. While some
nutritionists are advocating that people follow a Japanese diet to lose weight, many in Japan
are eating more foods more of the time, including traditional foods in addition to junk foods. 24% of Japanese over the
age of 15 are overweight or obese and the number is rising. The same pattern can be seen in children, where 10% are
obese or at risk for becoming obese. Children are more likely than their parents and grandparents to indulge in a diet
of hamburgers and french fries on a regular basis, though the highest obesity statistics are seen among middle-aged
men.
The Japanese government and health ministry are sinking money into new programs to help raise awareness of healthy eating and encourage weight loss and avoid diets like the one 10-year old Sayaka Oyama had before embarking on a weight loss program: spaghetti and meat sauce for lunch, chocolates and cookies for a snack, rice balls for dinner and sandwiches at nighttime classes, followed by more noodles before going to bed. Sayaka was 50 pounds over her ideal weight and is now in a sports program for overweight children. Hopefully the Japanese government will not push dieting programs too hard at children, concentrating on the parents instead because in the notoriously weight-conscious country, young women are more likely to be underweight than not.
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