Japanese children today are markedly taller and heavier than their counterparts right after World War II; in fact, they weigh as much as adults did then. This trend, outlined in the fiscal 1995 Ministry of Education survey covering April 1995 to March 1996, reflects a better diet as well as changing lifestyles, including the move from sitting on the floor to sitting on chairs. However, with this change has come an increase in the number of overweight children and concern from an early age about losing weight.
Weight Surge among Junior High Boys
The ministry's survey has been carried out annually since 1900, with the exception of the turbulent years during and right after World War II. For the 1995 survey, the results of medical checkups undergone by children in kindergarten, elementary school, junior high, and high school were used, with statistics on height and weight compiled on the basis of a random sampling of 700,000 children and statistics on obesity compiled on the basis of a random sampling of 1.2 million children. Between fiscal 1948, the first year after the war the survey was resumed, and fiscal 1995, the most remarkable change in height occurred among 14-year-old boys in the eighth grade. Today these boys average 159.6 centimeters (5 feet 2 inches), 19.8 centimeters (7 3/4 inches) more than their counterparts in 1948 and about the same as eleventh and twelfth grade boys that year. They are 7.9 centimeters (3 inches) taller than children in their parents' generation 30 years ago. Similar increases in height could be seen among the girls too. The biggest change occurred among 12-year-old girls in the sixth grade, who average 146.7 centimeters (4 feet 10 inches) today, or 15.9 centimeters (6 1/4 inches) more than their counterparts in 1948 and 6.3 centimeters (2 1/2 inches) more than those in their parents' generation 30 years ago. Increases in weight were even more dramatic. Among boys, the biggest change occurred among ninth graders, who weigh an average of 54.7 kilograms(120.6 pounds) today, or 15.8 kilograms(34.8 pounds) more than in 1948. Boys of this age weigh more today than high school students right after the war and are as heavy as adults then. They are also 7.6 kilograms(16.8 pounds) heavier than their counterparts 30 years ago. Among girls, the largest increase occurred among seventh graders, who average 44.6 kilograms(98.3 pounds) today, or 12.4 kilograms(27.3 pounds) more than in 1948 and 6.0 kilograms(13.2 pounds) more than 30 years ago.
Record High Percentages for Obesity
The weight increases have augured a more troublesome trend; namely, a rise in the number of overweight children. The ratio of overweight children, determined by the amount of subcutaneous fat, has risen to a record high of 2.9 percent for elementary schoolchildren and 1.8 percent for junior high school students.
(The above article, edited by Japan Echo Inc., is based on domestic Japanese news sources. It is offered for reference purposes and does not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government.)