The world has taken notice of Japan’s peculiar way of dealing with health through a law that requires a certain measurement of the waistline of a vast proportion of its adult population. The law has been termed ‘Metabo’ and has literally ‘gone viral’ on social media sites and networks.
One of the viral posts on the social networking site Instagram was saying that there is a law in Japan that literally limits how fat a person can be, with the term used being “Metabo Law.” This shows that body control is seen as preventative medicine, at least in Japan.
What Is The Metabo Act?
The legislation that is being referred to is the Metabolic Syndrome Prevention Act, which was introduced in the Japanese government in the year 2008. The real intention behind the legislation is not the prevention of obesity with severe punishments, but the prevention of risks that are associated with metabolic syndrome.
Under this system, all citizens between the ages of 40 and 74 are obligated to have mandatory health checks every year. An integral part of these health checks is the mandatory measurement of the citizen’s waist.
Waist Circumference Restrictions And Guidance
The legislation specified the waist circumference markers, which indicate a health risk, especially regarding the accumulation of visceral fat, which has been famously shown to correlate highly in relation to cardiovascular disease and early death.
The Japanese Metabo Act established specific waist circumference measurements that signal a potential health risk for citizens aged 40 to 74.
For men, a measurement exceeding 85 centimeters (33.46 inches) is considered an indicator of risk. For women, the threshold is slightly higher, set at 90 centimeters (35.43 inches).
Individuals who exceed these limits are then offered free guidance and counseling programs aimed at reducing the visceral fat associated with metabolic syndrome.
Critical Difference: Once these limits are crossed, there are no fines involved, but the individuals can benefit from the following free services:
- Nutritional Counseling
- Exercise instructions
- The follow-up programs
The real objective of the law is the identification of health issues before they become severe diseases and consequently alleviate the healthcare system’s burden arising from lifestyle diseases.
Societal Response On Social Media
This posting on social media elicited diverse responses across the world:
Support for Health: Quite a ratio of people appreciated that the intervention is proactive. A user said, “We all need this intervention. It would help reduce a vast amount of suffering related to lifestyle diseases and less stress on our medical systems!!”
Another user said, “Healthy eating and looking healthy is not only a government concern but also a responsibility on our part as well for our nation to also be healthy.”
Cultural Questions: A few users asked a number of cultural questions, such as what would happen to Sumo wrestlers, since they have a body mass index that is culturally important but higher than average.
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