Pastor Moises Martins

The two laws that help Japan become one of the world's 'leanest' countries

With only 3.7% of obesity among the adult population, Japan is by far the nation's developed with lower rates.



The list of the 50 countries with the lowest obesity rates in the world is full of nations struggling against poverty, hunger, lack of security - or all at the same time. But in 38th place, between Mali and Zimbabwe, one country differs from the rest.

With only 3.7% of obesity among the adult population, Japan is by far the nation's developed with lower rates.

If the country is compared to other members of the G8 (group of nations with the most industrialized economies on the planet), the differences are striking: Germany, France and Italy are between 21% and 22% obese in the population, the United Kingdom is about 26 % And the United States, almost at the other extreme, recorded 33.6%.

For comparison, Brazil has 17.1% of obese among the population.
The BBC World Service in Spanish spoke to Katrin Engelhardt, a nutrition expert at the World Health Organization (WHO) on the Japanese success in maintaining low levels of obesity and overweight in all ages of the population.

Behind the good results, Engelhardt points out, there is a government committed to policies to keep overweight under control by investing heavily in nutrition and health education programs.
All these measures are part of a national campaign called "Health Japan 21".

To get started, understand two specific laws that help ensure good health in the country and curb obesity:

Shuku Iku Law, for the education of children
"This law has a very deep name," explains Engelhardt. Shuku refers to food, diet and the act of eating, while Iku refers to intellectual, moral, and physical education.

The purpose of this rule is to increase student information on the food chain, provenance and food production, and require nutrition education from the earliest years of school to the secondary level.
In force since 2005, the Law Shuku Iku determines processes such as healthy menus in schools and hiring professional nutritionists who also have training as teachers to give specific classes on nutrition.

In addition, the law preaches the promotion of a social culture around food. What this means: Children are encouraged to prepare and share food in colleges.
At meal times, classrooms are transformed into a kind of restaurant. The children help to set the table, serve each other, and eat together.

The idea is to convey the message that "eating is a social act," says Engelhardt.
In addition, according to the expert, there are no kiosks or food machines inside schools, which makes it difficult for students to find unhealthy snacks with chips or sugary drinks.

Lei Metabo, to control weight in adults
Another legislation that the specialist highlights to explain Japanese success is the Metabo (Metabolism) Law, which encourages adults between the ages of 40 and 75 to make an annual measurement of the waist circumference.

According to the World Health Organization, a circumference of more than 94 cm for men and more than 80 cm for women carries more risk of metabolic complications, such as cardiovascular diseases.
These measurements are done by the public administration and also by companies.

"Employers have a clearly identified annual day when all staff need to measure belly circumference," says the WHO specialist.
If the measures are not healthy, companies encourage employees to participate in support sessions and exercise more.

The purpose of the law is to encourage adults to be more conscious about the importance of a healthy weight and the practice of physical activities.
The law also provides for the following:

- Companies encourage workers to exercise during their free time. Some even have gymnasiums or badminton courts so that employees can exercise easily at lunch or after work;
- Employees are encouraged to get to work by walking or cycling, and the government promotes safety on bike paths to stimulate exercise.

Traditional food and small portions
But beyond the specific laws, there are cultural peculiarities that help the Japanese to keep on weight.
As in other Asian societies such as South Korea, which also has a very low obesity rate (4.6%), in Japan, much attention is given to traditional food.

"The emphasis is on freshly prepared and locally produced food," says Katrin Engelhardt.
The Japanese are very proud of the small plots and urban gardens where they produce food in the natural way.

"In some Asian cultures, food has always been seen as something almost medicinal," says the expert. In addition, it highlights a cultural factor that also impacts: they historically prefer small portions.
"In Japanese family events, in traditional cuisine, many dishes are served in small portions, full of vegetables and very fresh food," explains Engelhardt.
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