ToDaZeD WTF -- International Edition
putting the govern back in government
Under a national law that came into effect two months ago, companies and local governments must now measure the waistlines of Japanese people between the ages of 40 and 74 as part of their annual checkups.
...Those exceeding government limits — 33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for women… and having a weight-related ailment will be given dieting guidance if after three months they do not lose weight. If necessary, those people will be steered toward further re-education after six more months.
...Most Japanese are covered under public health care or through their work.
...“I don’t think the campaign will have any positive effect. Now if you did this in the United States, there would be benefits, since there are many Americans who weigh more than 100 kilograms,” or about 220 pounds, [Yoichi Ogushi, a professor at Tokai University’s School of Medicine]said.
...To reach its goals of shrinking the overweight population by 10 percent over the next four years and 25 percent over the next seven years, the government will impose financial penalties on companies and local governments that fail to meet specific targets.
...Some experts say the government’s guidelines on everything from waistlines to blood pressure are so strict that meeting, or exceeding, those targets will be impossible. They say that the government’s real goal is to shift health care costs onto the private sector.
Just nobody tell Obama… ‘k?
There are many in the US who weigh more than 100 kg because of our large, American (garbled in translation).
Can’t win at the game? Move the goalposts.
.
Posted by OregonGuy on 06/13/08 at 08:49 AMI’m confused. Why is it “33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for women”?
More than that, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fat Japanese.
Here’s a terrible, distressing thought:
What about Sumo wrestlers?
?
Posted by ZZMike on 06/14/08 at 10:06 PM
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