Japan Begins Waist-Measuring Movement to Halt Obesity Trend

According to a new article from The New York Times, the country of Japan has begun measuring the waists of adult men and women to determine if they are "metabo", a less harsh name for "obesity".

Under Japanese law, men are expected to have a waist measurement of 33.5 inches, women, 35.4 inches or less. Corporations and the government are expected to do their share and will suffer financial penalties if they are unable to decrease their obese populations by 10% in the next four years, and by 25% in the next seven years. Large companies stand to lose millions of dollars in fines if their employees don't slim down.

Patients whose waist measurements are greater than recommended and have an illness that can be attributed to obesity will be given "dieting guidence" if they do not show progress toward a smaller measurement within three months. At six months they will be directed toward continuing education about obesity and weight management.

How do Americans measure up? A survey by the National Center for Health Statistics states that the average man measured 39 inches while the average woman measured 36.5 inches at the waist.

In American, weight loss surgery is considered a treatment for obesity, which is essentially unheard of in Japan. To learn more about weight loss surgery, start with Weight Loss Surgery 101 and learn about the different types of procedures, the risks and the rewards.