Japan is a country long known for its high reliance on low-fat fish, vegetable and seaweed dishes. But, in recent years meat and high fat foods feature more prominently on Japanese tables (Yamamoto 1). While per capita calorie intake is stable, animal fat and protein consumption has grown over the last 50 years (Yamamoto 1). Because of this, obesity has become a major public healthy problem in Japan (Yamamoto 1). Also, Japan's position at the top of global longevity tables is in danger (Yamamoto 1). According to the Japanese health ministry, the rate of obesity in Japanese people over age 20 is increasing in every age group except women 20 to 29 and 40 to 59 (Yamamoto 1). Men seemed to have gained most of the country;s extra weight (Yamamoto 1). Child obesity has also risen from 18.9% in 1988 to 24.3% in 2005 (Yamamoto 1). The Japanese government works hard to combat obesity and spent over 10 trillion yen to fight against diseases enhanced by obesity such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension (Yamamoto 1). 61% of Japanese deaths are due to these ailments (Yamamoto 1). At one time authorities even believed that the Japanese lacked a fat gene found in other groups (Yamamoto 1). According to figures compiled in 2005 by an organization in Paris, only 3.2% of Japanese people had a body mass index of greater than 30, compared with 30.6% in the United States (Yamamoto 1). Katsuhiko Yano, a senior investigator at the Pacific health research institute in Hawaii, conducted dietary studies of Japanese living in Japan and Japanese living in America. He found that the Japanese in America eating a Western diet had a higher incidence of heart disease (Yamamoto 1). After American fast food arrived in the late 1940's it began to supplement the healthier Japanese diet (Yamamoto 1). Effects of this can be seen especially in Japanese men from Okinawa (Yamamoto 1). Life expectancy of Okinawan men was always among the worlds highest but has fell to number 26 in 2000 (Yamamoto 1).
I was also asked a question about teen pregnancy in Japan. Unfortunately I have not been able to find any web sites that give me enough information to be able to write a post on it but I did come across a site that shows that Japan has the lowest teen birth rate.Although, this site is a little bit old.
http://www.unicef.org/pon96/inbirth.htm
Works Cited:
1. Yamamoto Akiko. "Japan's New Public Health Problem is Getting Worse." Washington Post. 19 June 2007. 11 Nov 2008. < http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/18/AR2007061801466.html >
8 comments:
Wow, I was so excited to read the answer to the question I gave you in class. Whenever I read articles on Japan it always seems to be to good to believe.
While it saddens me that the influence of western culture has caused this coruption, I feel a bond with the Japanese as we are facing the same hurtles in the future.
Basically it seems to me, that in any language/culture, fast food translates to "the fast way to get fat, or worse, to die."
The saddest part is that the diet of rice, fish, veggies and seaweed is really very tasty and I wish I had the lost cost access to it like they do. Am I wrong that in most overseas areas, McDonalds and other American type fast foods are exspencive?
I enjoy your blog site very much. Keep up the good work.
Louise,
Yes,I am pretty sure that American type fast food resturants are expensive and their portions are small. When I went to McDonalds with a Japanese exchange student I had one summer she thought it was hilarious how big we could get our fries and our soda. She took so many pictures. To me, seeing all the different size options is a regular thing but to her it was amazing.
I look forward to your blogs every week. I find it extremely fascinating that you know so much about the Japanese culture, I love learning about other cultures myself. Have you ever lived in Japan? If not, do you have an interest in living there?
I have not lived in Japan. All the information I have is from years of studying the language, exchange students, and my Japanese neighbors who live down the street. I do hope to go to Japan soon. I am also thinking about becomming an ESL teacher so I can go teach English in Japan.
I find this amazing and at the same time ironic. I recall seeing a show about models and how so many American models idolized the models that are from Japan because of their figures and their sex appeal that they offer to the camera. This is ironic because for so long the "skinny" Japanese were envied by all and now they have become just like the Americans with their views of fast food. I often wondered myself how rice could yield such a gorgeous body consider the high starch factor. Thank you for sharing and educating us.
Great post! Interesting and timely details, too. My only comment here: if you use the same source in the same paragraph throughout, all you need to do is cite at the end of the data, not after each piece (esp. if it all comes from 1 page).
Good documentation, though. Better to have too much than not enough!
Once again I am extremely impressed with how well you research and how interested you seem in every topic. Your enthusiasm for Japanese culture is evident in your writing. I continue to look forward to reading all of your new posts.
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