In a recent finding, Japan may soon have a new definition, their own definition, of fatness. Why?
The Japan Society for the Study of Obesity (JASSO) is defining new standards for women in Japan by considering women with a body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight relative to height, of below 25 but with a waist circumference of above 80 cm as excessively fat.
Mine you, 80 cm is only equivalent to 31.5 inches.
The current guidelines of the government do not consider people with BMI of less than 25 as overweight. But experts have suggested that the risk of arteriosclerosis and other health problems increases for people with excessive visceral fat even if their BMI is below 25.
Oh dear. We’re not sure how Japanese women are taking this because the majority of Japanese are already considered to be very health-conscious (judging by their lifestyle and their staple food) and a finding like this could “starve” an already existing norm even more.
Will this health study cause the rise of other negative health issues in Japanese women (e.g. anorexia, bulimia)?
Source: Japan Probe.
