There's something so funny about this news! "State prescribed waistline limits!"


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.

Average Waist Sizes of Japanese and American Men and Women 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. “I’m 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.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/world/asia/13fat.html?no_interstitial

I'm SCREWED.....

quote:

Originally posted by navy8086:
I'm SCREWED.....

Not unless you live in Japan!!! LOL!

One assumes that Sumo wrestlers have an exemption?

quote:

Originally posted by Bladensburg:
One assumes that Sumo wrestlers have an exemption?

Very good point. Only if they bring enough money into the system.

If Japan's on it there may be some hope for that Magic pill after all.

quote:

Originally posted by PinkBlossoms:

quote:

Originally posted by navy8086:
I'm SCREWED.....

Not unless you live in Japan!!! LOL!

Maybe for now, but unless the health-nuts quit demanding government protection from all kinds of behaviors, it'll be here soon. Stupid ideas have a way of leaping the oceans and landing on our shores.

For instance, haven't you heard of the obesity, or childhood obesity, "crisis?" Haven't you heard people, right here on these boards, saying government has a RIGHT to become involved in personal choices because it's we the taxpayers who must pay for their health care? Are you aware that in many states, children are having their body-mass measured by the state and notes sent home to Mom and Dad suggesting corrective action? How much longer before those suggestions become mandatory? Or, the suggestions to prevent the building of new fast-food joints in Los Angeles? Or the required taking of insulin, under police supervision, in New York City?

No, this isn't something funny happening in Japan. It's your future HERE unless enough people stand up for their liberty and their right to consume whatever they want.

oh no fat people with weight-related illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure will be given dieting advice

quote:

Originally posted by liberal90:
oh no fat people with weight-related illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure will be given dieting advice

Not necessarily fat people though, OK a 35.5in waist is probably large-ish by Japanese standards but what about all the men who are a bit bigger than average. I'm 6'2" and 34ins despite being a fairly svelte 12.5 stone (~175lbs) and I've met at least one Japanese lad who was nearly as big as me would he have to go on a permanent diet.
I see the benefits of a policy that penalises porkers (God knows the US and UK could do with one) but this idea seems a bit "One size fits all."

quote:

Originally posted by Bladensburg:

quote:

Originally posted by liberal90:
oh no fat people with weight-related illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure will be given dieting advice

Not necessarily fat people though, OK a 35.5in waist is probably large-ish by Japanese standards but what about all the men who are a bit bigger than average. I'm 6'2" and 34ins despite being a fairly svelte 12.5 stone (~175lbs) and I've met at least one Japanese lad who was nearly as big as me would he have to go on a permanent diet.
I see the benefits of a policy that penalises porkers (God knows the US and UK could do with one) but this idea seems a bit "One size fits all."

you didn't notice the part that says only people with weight-related illnesses who exceed the waistline limits will be given diet advice, did you?

quote:

Originally posted by liberal90:

quote:

Originally posted by Bladensburg:

quote:

Originally posted by liberal90:
oh no fat people with weight-related illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure will be given dieting advice

Not necessarily fat people though, OK a 35.5in waist is probably large-ish by Japanese standards but what about all the men who are a bit bigger than average. I'm 6'2" and 34ins despite being a fairly svelte 12.5 stone (~175lbs) and I've met at least one Japanese lad who was nearly as big as me would he have to go on a permanent diet.
I see the benefits of a policy that penalises porkers (God knows the US and UK could do with one) but this idea seems a bit "One size fits all."

you didn't notice the part that says only people with weight-related illnesses who exceed the waistline limits will be given diet advice, did you?

Yes I saw that, but the fact remains that an arbitrary waist measurement does not take into account differences in body shape. It is perfectly possible to be over 33.5ins, have late-onset diabetes and yet not actually be clinically overweight.

quote:

Originally posted by stillkit:

quote:

Originally posted by PinkBlossoms:

quote:

Originally posted by navy8086:
I'm SCREWED.....

Not unless you live in Japan!!! LOL!

Maybe for now, but unless the health-nuts quit demanding government protection from all kinds of behaviors, it'll be here soon. Stupid ideas have a way of leaping the oceans and landing on our shores.

For instance, haven't you heard of the obesity, or childhood obesity, "crisis?" Haven't you heard people, right here on these boards, saying government has a RIGHT to become involved in personal choices because it's we the taxpayers who must pay for their health care? Are you aware that in many states, children are having their body-mass measured by the state and notes sent home to Mom and Dad suggesting corrective action? How much longer before those suggestions become mandatory? Or, the suggestions to prevent the building of new fast-food joints in Los Angeles? Or the required taking of insulin, under police supervision, in New York City?

No, this isn't something funny happening in Japan. It's your future HERE unless enough people stand up for their liberty and their right to consume whatever they want.

I'm a bit of a health nut and can't imagine letting myself get overweight ... but I ALSO can't see weight being dictated by the government. That's WAY over the top and I hope you're wrong about it being America's future. However, with what we have to choose from for President, I suppose anything is possible.

I can see it now - "re-education camps for the overweight." Your sentence will depend on the centimeters over the desired size and YOU WILL GET DOWN TO A GOOD FIGHTING WEIGHT, OR ELSE!!! Maybe Japan just wants to avoid the problems the US is going through with our eat now and suffer later population.

quote:

"re-education camps for the overweight."

quote:

Originally posted by Jcpgep:
I can see it now - "re-education camps for the overweight." Your sentence will depend on the centimeters over the desired size and YOU WILL GET DOWN TO A GOOD FIGHTING WEIGHT, OR ELSE!!! Maybe Japan just wants to avoid the problems the US is going through with our eat now and suffer later population.

Hilarious!

Here's what caught my eye ... "financial penalties"

"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."

Sounds like Orwellian to me. I think this is what happens if you have government run health care. The government will try to do crazy things like this to lower the cost.

Hey, I guess if US government wants to create new tax by taxing carbons, then the Japanese can come up with "financial penalties" a.k.a. NEW TAX on companies.