Why are Japanese people less obese?

Japan has the lowest obesity rate among developed countries thanks to its sensible diet and emphasis on simplicity, and the Metabo Law monitors belly fat.

Japan has approved the use of the weight loss drug Wegovy - a drug that is in short supply globally due to high demand. At first glance, this seems like good news for the manufacturer Novo Nordisk. However, Pharma Letter predicts that the product will not make a big breakthrough in Japan because the obesity rate here is very low , only 4.5% of the population compared to 42% in the US.

A few months ago, Time journalist Johann Hari visited Japan to do the book "Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of a New Weight-Loss Drug" . Initially, he thought that the Japanese had a special gene that made them slimmer than other regions of the world. However, after studying, he found that Japanese immigrants to Hawaii since the late 19th century were as overweight as the locals. This proves that factors other than genetics affect their body shape , he said.

The menu emphasizes simplicity

This became clearer after his visit to Tokyo Sushi & Washoku College, where he met with Masaru Watanabe, the school's principal, to learn about the principles of Japanese cuisine.

" The hallmark of Japanese cuisine is simplicity . For us, the simpler the better," says Watanabe.

He explained that Japanese people do not traditionally eat a lot of meat . As an island nation, they value seafood. Western cuisine uses butter, lemon, herbs, sauces. to create flavor.

'But the Japanese style is the complete opposite,' he said. They focus on 'minimalistic cuisine,' trying to highlight the natural flavors of the ingredients. Japanese meals consist of many small dishes, often five.

Mr. Watanabe also explained the eating principles of the people of this country. First, they "eat in a triangle" , meaning they eat a little bit of each dish and then go back to the first dish, and so on until the end of the meal.

"Here, finishing one dish before moving on to another is considered very strange and impolite ," he said.

Second, Japanese people stop eating when they feel 80% full. They believe that the body needs time to feel full, if you feel full while eating, you have definitely eaten too much.

After three days of eating the Japanese way, Hari felt healthier and lighter. He said the Japanese have had a completely different relationship with food for thousands of years.

Children eat lunch at a kindergarten in Yokohama, Japan. (Photo: AFP).

Weight loss support regulations

Much of Japan's culinary culture, however, is a recent development. Professor Barak Kushner, of the University of Cambridge, says Japanese food before the 1920s was "not very tasty". Fresh fish was eaten only once a week, the diet was low in protein, and stews and stir-fries were uncommon. The average life expectancy was 43.

The new culinary culture began to take shape as the country built up its army to attack other areas in Asia, in order to create stronger soldiers. After its defeat in World War II, the new government accelerated the transformation.

By law, every school in Japan is required to have a nutritionist. They design school meals according to strict fresh and healthy food regulations, supervise cooking, and educate children and parents about nutrition. A student's meal typically consists of five small portions: white fish, noodles with vegetables, milk, rice, and a small amount of MSG. All students eat the same meal, canned food is banned, and no processed or frozen food is allowed.

At Koenji Gakuen School in Tokyo, for students aged 5 to 18, principal Minoru Tanaka requires that lunches meet specific guidelines. She eats with her students to ensure they are safe, nutritious and delicious.

While the students ate, Principal Harumi held up colored strings representing nutrients essential for health. The students had to remember and answer some questions, such as "red string - what are the benefits of carbohydrates? " or "yellow string - which body part is calcium good for?".

A group of elderly people do morning exercises at a park in Tokyo in October 2022. (Photo: AFP)

In 2008, when the obesity rate was slightly increasing, the Japanese government enacted the "Metabo Law" to reduce the negative consequences of abdominal obesity. The law requires businesses and local governments to measure the waist circumference of adults aged 40 to 74 every year. If the person exceeds the prescribed limit, the person is given medical advice, and the workplace is required to develop a weight loss plan with the employee. Companies with obese workforces can be fined.

Junya Nagasawa, CEO of fitness app company Tanita, said that when the Metabo Law came into effect, businesses suddenly needed health-tracking technology. So Tanita designed a video screen and health monitoring system. Everyone in the company wears a watch that tracks their daily steps. This gets people who don't normally exercise to move more.

The Metabo Law, along with other measures in Japan, has had a clear impact. The country's obesity rate is among the lowest in the developed world. Every morning, from 7am to 8am, seniors gather in groups in parks to exercise together. This makes the average life expectancy of Japanese people among the highest in the world. On average, men live to be 81 years old and women to be 88 years old.

Learning from Japan, some developed countries have begun to focus on people's diets to reduce obesity. Mexico imposes a tax on sugary drinks. In Amsterdam, the government restricted soft drinks in schools and assigned personal trainers to overweight students, reducing childhood obesity by 12% from 2012 to 2018. Many US cities have "food as medicine" programs .