Japan battles rising obesity

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Japan battles rising obesity

2/14/2006, 11:13 p.m. ET

By KANA INAGAKI

The Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — For those who think Japan is all fish and tofu,

consider Sayaka Oyama's former diet: spaghetti and meat sauce for

lunch, chocolates and cookies for snack and a dinner of rice balls

and sandwiches at nighttime classes.

Late at night, the 10-year-old slurped down some quick noodles

before going to bed.

That diet had a predictable outcome — one that doctors are seeing

more in Japan as the country leaves behind traditional food habits.

At 9 years old, Sayaka stood 4 feet 2 inches, and weighed 108

pounds, about 50 pounds over her ideal weight.

" I just love eating noodles. I get home tired from cram school, so I

used to eat it all the time at night, " explained the girl, who, like

many Japanese children, takes evening classes to prepare for junior

high entrance exams.

Now 10, Sayaka is trying to slim down in a sports program for

overweight kids. She reflects a rise in obesity that is being blamed

for diabetes and other health problems.

Some fear the trend could one day jeopardize Japan's status as the

home of the world's longest-living population. Life expectancy for

Japanese is 86 for women, 79 for men.

" I don't know for how long Japan can maintain the world's highest

longevity, " says Yukio Yamori, director of the International Center

for Research on Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases. " If

eating habits change, life expectancy will shorten and this has

already been made clear. "

Still, the Japanese are a long way from being as fat as Americans.

Only 24 percent of Japanese aged 15 and older are believed to be

overweight, compared to about 65 percent of adults in the United

States.

But concern is growing over eating patterns like Sayaka's. Instead

of the fish, rice and miso soup of their grandparents' generation,

younger Japanese are increasingly wolfing down fast food like

burgers, fried chicken and instant noodles.

Bad diet and less exercise create what psychologists say is a

vicious cycle: Fat kids are increasingly picked on at school, get

depressed and find solace in eating even more.

" Children these days shoulder a lot of concerns and stresses, " says

Yuriko Ota, a nutritionist who runs the program that Sayaka enrolled

in last year. " I feel there are more obese kids that are gloomy and

dark. It wasn't like this before. "

Depressed or not, there certainly are more fat people in Japan these

days.

Men in all age groups have grown heavier in the past two decades.

The highest rate is among men in their 40s: 34 percent were

overweight in 2003, up from 23 percent in 1980, according to the

National Health and Nutrition Survey. While older women are growing

fatter, younger fashion-conscious women tend to be underweight.

Among children, 8 percent were obese or at risk of obesity in 2004,

compared with fewer than 6 percent in 1980. In the United States,

experts believe about 30 percent of kids are overweight.

Diabetes is a leading concern. While the number of deaths from the

disease has fallen in the past decade, more than 2 million people

are being treated for it — an increase of about 53 percent from 15

years ago.

The number treated for high blood pressure has also grown about 9

percent in the past 10 years, the Health Ministry says.

Alarmed by the trend, the government released a new nutrition chart

recently that encourages eating more carbohydrates — such as rice —

and vegetables as main sources of energy, while cutting down on meat

to reduce the intake of fat.

The chart specifically targets overweight men, singles, and those

raising children.

The government has set aside about 72 million yen ($600,000) in the

2006-2007 budget to tackle child heft. The Health Ministry also

plans to research the link between parents' lifestyle and overweight

children, and support selected towns to promote healthier eating

habits.

Heavy kids are also flocking to programs like Sayaka's in central

Tokyo. Opened in 1985, the Health and Sports Class' one-year

curriculum is split between sports and nutrition and health lessons

for children and parents.

They are given specific instructions on how to improve their eating

and living habits. Many continue on with the program even after

their year ends.

Twenty years ago, it was hard to recruit 20 kids per class. Now,

overweight children are waiting in line to get into the program,

said Ota, the director.

For Sayaka, the hard work is paying off. She's grown 2.36 inches

taller since starting a year ago, but has kept her weight steady.

Though she's still over her ideal weight, she's proud of her

progress.

" I stopped eating noodles every night, and now I only eat it once a

week, just Saturday and only for lunch, " she said. " I didn't like

veggies before, but now I try to put them in everyday meals. "