Childhood Obesity: Japan and US
Did you know?
- Mortality: Nearly 2.8 million people die each year from being overweight or obese
- Prevalence:
- 1.5 billion adults
- 42 million preschool children worldwide.
- Childhood obesity: Since 1980, the rate has doubled
- 70 million children are expected to be affected by 2025
Source: WHO 2015 Obesity Report
By Cindy Guan, Rabia N, and Sara Najmi
[Group 17]
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Differences between Japan and US
- Significant difference in the levels of physical activities of Japanese and American populations
- Japanese are more physically active than Americans
- Big difference is due to walking: Japanese walk more than Americans
- Active transportation to school: walking, biking, etc.
- Walking-to-School policy, Japan - 1953
- 98.3% of active transport among children going to school (Mori et al., 2012)
- United States: percentage of schoolchildren getting to school via active transport is very low
- Since 1969, % dropped from 47.7% to 12.7% (35% drop!)
- Distance from school to home matters
DIET AND FOOD AVAILABILITY
We studied five factors in our assignment. We will be discussing three of them to examine the differences in obesity in the two countries:
- Diet
- Media and advertising
- Physical Activity
(The other two are socio-economic status and family and home environment)
Determinants of Health
Diet
- Japan: fish, vegetables, fermented foods and rice, served on small plates
- United States: 130% of grains, 120% of meat, 40 of fruits.
- 34% of children eat fast food, and 12.4 of their calorie intake.
- 1/4 of children's calories come from snacks.
Availability
- 170,00 fast food resturants, and 37,000 supermarkets
- lack of full service supermarkets
- In Japan the average cost of chicken breast is $8.94 in the United State it is $11.37
- As for fast food the average cost in the United States is $7.93
Obesity
- More than just genetics
- Encompasses lifestyle, physical and social environment
- Family environment matters
- Children's lifestyles are heavily linked to their parent's lifestyles
- Socioeconomic status, culture, physical activity, media etc plays a huge role
Japan is successful in keeping down child obesity rates,
and should be an inspiration for other countries to adapt healthier lifestyles and behaviours.
MEDIA AND ADVERTISING
- Affects sleep which is linked to obesity
- Decreases physical activity, and increases snacking
- Prevalence of computer and TV advertisements that promote unhealthy eating.
- Children who watch more than three hours of television per day are 50% more likely to be obese than the children who don't.
US:
- 36% of American children exceed the recommended hours of TV time prescribed by health professionals
- TV programmes and food advertising
Japan:
- Miniscule report on media use and obesity in Japan
- However, studies do exist: young Japanese respondents reportedly are twice as LESS likely to eat in response to watching television compared to young American counterparts.
Sources:
Strasburger et.al, 2011.
Mendoza et.al, 2007
Boyce, 2006
Hawks, et.a al, 2003
Source: adapted from Monasta et.al, 2010
Thank You!
Obesity in Japan and the United States
US
- 34% of adults are overweight or obese
- 20% of children (under age 20)
Japan:
- Only 3.6% of the total population is obese
- 7.1% of children
Empirical observations between US and Japanese health and lifestyle also visible.
Source:
(Mitchell et al, 2012)
(Benjamin & Masahiko, 2006)
CONCLUSIONS
- Japan and United States are on opposite ends of the child obesity spectrum
- Japan fares one of the lowest obesity rates in the world due to a combination of these factors
- Have healthier eating habits (low fat content), and consume less calories
- Media and advertising
- Higher levels of physical activity (active transportation
These factors are also connected to the broader social factors including socio-economic status and family & physical environment.
What is obesity?
- When the amount of calories taken becomes far greater than the amount of calories burnt.
- Measured by BMI (body mass index).
- Linked to CVD, diabetes, osteoarthritis etc
Source: CDC Website 2015