Public health practitioners and scholars in a range of different countries have called for a fat tax on unhealthy foods. People exceeding these governmental limits, which are identical to the measurements established by the International Diabetes Federation in 2006, may be required to go to counseling sessions or converse with a health expert about dietary options. The Metabo Law is a law that was introduced in Japan in 2008. In 2008, the Japanese government passed a striking but controversial law, nicknamed the metabo law, from Metabolism , which stands for Standard Concerning Implementation Special Health Examinations and Special Public Health Guidance . [14] Research indicates that the current obesity epidemic is increasing as a result of the fast food industry expanding. Metabolic syndrome is a combination of such symptoms as problems with cholesterol and triglycerides, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. The numbers in this longitudinal study do indicate that the majority of people who were found to be over the recommended measurements, and who went onto participate in a weight loss program were successful in their weight loss. Or rather, the people working and funding the health service of the country you are living in, pay for your drugs for life. ", "Small Taxes on Soft Drinks and Snack Foods to Promote Health", "Irish government may introduce 'fat tax' on certain foods", Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fat_tax&oldid=1132893434, This page was last edited on 11 January 2023, at 03:39. While governments in the West have struggled to reduce obesity through education and sugar taxes, Japans government took decisive action. Metabo Law In 2008, Japan passed the " Metabo Law," which requires local governments and employers to annually measure the waist circumference of citizens and employees aged 40 to 74. However, one of the great joys of visiting the nation is observing a whole country that is so collectively well-organized and ordered and this is thanks, in large part, to all these little rules. There is also a thriving homebrew community in Japan that holds regular competitions and tasting events. Since households that are poor typically spend up to 30% of their total income on food, they would not only be unable to afford the healthier foods but they would also be forced to pay more for the foods that they could afford. About the Japan's 'Metabo' Law. Dr Harvey Wiley criticised an increase in tax on oleomargarine (but commonly called the Butter Tax) as it punished artificial products whilst allowing adulterated butter to be untaxed. The fat tax is an argument for raising taxes on activities that we prefer to discourage (consumption of certain foodstuffs) rather than raising taxes on socially desirable activities. This is another one of those Japanese laws that sounds crazy and patriarchal from the outset, but actually has a (highly debatable) logic behind it. User account menu. If youre out dancing in Japan and you notice the room gets a little brighter around the witching hour, youre not imagining it youre just in a very law-abiding nightclub. That represents more than 56 million waistlines, or about 44 percent of the entire population. According to a research collaboration done by Oxford University and Copenhagen University, it was found that 4% less saturated fat was bought and more fruit and vegetables were bought in response to this tax. But the Japanese are so slender that they cant afford to lose weight.. This was the case up until 2010 when the law was overturned. Kizashi Ohama, an official in Matsuyama, a city that has also acted aggressively against metabo, said he would leave the debate over the campaigns merits to experts and health officials in Tokyo. But metabo sounds much more inclusive.. The law is targeted at companies, which could face penalties if . Failure to meet these standards resulted in fines to the local governments and large employers (Japan has a universal healthcare system that operates through the local government or employers). As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The links between smoking and numerous chronic health conditions have long been proven. [28] However, the question of whether or not taxation influences diet is an empirical question and not simply a matter of public opinion. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. And this is why I left Japan. Andrea Kay - Sugar Smart Health and Lifestyle Coach. Furthermore, there isnt much focus on health disparities between different socio-economic groups, which are a known determinant of health and shouldnt be overlooked. ", Bruce Silverglade, director of legal affairs for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said his nonprofit nutrition advocacy organization welcomed the recommendations and has spent years fighting for measures like a junk food tax. So there you have it a whistle-stop tour of just a handful of the most unique aspects of Japans constitution. If necessary, those people will be steered toward further re-education after six more months. Even before Tokyos directives, Matsushita had focused on its employees weight during annual checkups. Anyone can read what you share. As mentioned earlier, uptake of lifestyle intervention programs is statistically poor amongst those identified as having waistlines above regulation size. Other similar taxes on tobacco and alcohol have been found to be fairly successful, with many implementations lowering the amount of adults who smoke or drink. Goodbye, metabolic. If you are found to be above the recommended measurements, your company or local authority could be forced to pay a fine on your behalf. This might sound like a silly question, but its certainly one of the first that popped into my mind when I heard about Metabo Law. A poster at a public health clinic in Japan reads, "Goodbye, metabo," a word associated with being overweight. [9][10] Cross-sectional, prospective, and experimental studies have found an association between obesity and the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks. Apart from being a very cost-effective approach, it also aims to reduce the burden of disease in the population. It is a law that is meant to help people lose weight and stay healthy. Long-Term Care, Health and Welfare Services for the Elderly. Japan has a reputation for being a land of slim and petite people. The waistline limit for men is 33.5 inches and for women, it is 35.4 inches. Reason 2: Ease. [24] In 2000, a paper in the British Medical Journal outlined the potential impact on deaths from ischemic heart disease of a tax on the main sources of saturated fats. This law partly explains the success of the . Metabo is a shortened version of the term metabolic syndrome, and this is where the law takes its name from. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) refers to the accumulation of risk factors that could lead to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), obesity or stroke. The country's Ministry of Health argues that the campaign will keep the spread of diseases like diabetes and strokes in check. With ever-increasing numbers of Western-style fast-food restaurants opening across the country, the Japanese government established this strategy to keep obesity rates low. No! In case of exceeding the maximum waistline, [13], Since the poor spend a greater proportion of their income on food, a fat tax might be regressive. [41] Kerala is the first state in India to introduce a "fat tax" on burgers, pizzas, doughnuts and tacos served in branded restaurants. Japan shouldnt be making such a fuss about this, he said before going off to have his waistline measured. Keywords: Metabo Law; stereotype; fat character; discourse; normalization process 1. "Japan, Seeking Trim Waists, Measures Millions." Metabolic syndrome is a group of co-occurring conditions that include high blood sugar, elevated blood pressure, excess visceral fat and abnormal . At Matsuyamas public health clinic, Kinichiro Ichikawa, 62, said the government-approved 33.5-inch male waistline was severe. He is 5-foot-4, weighs only 134 pounds and knows no one who is overweight. Men should be under 33.5 inches and women should be under 35.5 inches. Many of the laws that govern Japanese society are unwritten. [38] While this tax was a failure in terms of changing consumer habits overall, it did achieve some of its goals in the short term. 40-74. The New York Times reported in 2008 the Metabo Law affects men with waistlines larger than 35.4 inches and women with waistlines larger than 31.5 inches. Brownell's proposal was listed as number seven on the list of U.S. News & World Report's "16 Smart Ideas to Fix the World". 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. Internationally, the presence of three or more risk factors indicates MetS, however in the case of Japan, waist circumference (WC) is identified as a necessary component, and thus the central focus of the Metabo Law. According to this law, companies and local governments must annually measure the waistlines of Japanese workers and citizens who are between 40 and 74 years old. Over 30 percent of Japanese men ages 30-69 had a BMI over 25 (Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, 2002). Brownell proposed that revenue from junk food taxes be used to subsidize more healthful foods and fund nutrition campaigns. The 'metabo' law involved conducting an annual waist measurement check of people aged between 40 and 75, which was administered by employers and local government. In fact, the OECD ranks them, with only 3% population obesity, one of the least obese developed countries. [6] Indeed, there is a higher incidence of diet-related illnesses among the poor than in the general population. I'll give you the main two, plus a counter-point. Well, for starters, Japan is an amazing country! How The 'Fat Tax' Works. Lets unpick some of the most commonly discussed weird laws in Japan and find out which are true and which are simply urban legends. You will be referred on for lifestyle intervention. Sounds grossly unfair, right? [35][36] The failure of Denmark's fat tax was also due to financial reasons, with politicians identifying the fat tax as a funding source for the government, rather than a health initiative that attempted to improve the health outcomes of society. The law basically requires citizens aged 40-75 to have yearly checkups for their waistline, and if it exceeds a certain threshold (33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for . Obesity rates in Japan are extremely low, especially when compared to Western countries. There are, however, a number of weird laws in Japan that are eyebrow-raising that are written into the Japanese constitution that you simply wouldn't see in any other country. The ministry also says that curbing widening waistlines will rein in a rapidly aging society's ballooning health care costs, one of the most serious and politically delicate problems facing Japan today. Numerous studies suggest that as the price of a food decreases, individuals get fatter. What about all those sumo wrestlers who spend hours maintaining their figures? Im on the border, he said. This study took data from 14 fat character in 13 anime, airing in 2008's until 2015's. Check your email for magic link to sign-in. You could find yourself in hot water bringing something as simple as an over the counter sinus medication through with you in your suitcase, as there could be illegal amounts of particular ingredients in the Western blends. Metabolic syndrome is a collection of factors that increase the risk of chronic disease: abdominal obesity; hypertension; high blood sugar levels The Metabo Law was implemented into Japan's society in 2008 with the goal of adjusting Obesity rates country wide. [8] Current proposals frequently single out sugar-sweetened drinks as a target for taxation. Ouch. This led to an increase in awareness of MetS as a health condition, especially among men, causing a rise in concern and active preventive measures such as exercise and diet. But only 12.3 percent of these people follow through on this medical advice.. Keep it classy with this law well, as classy as a vending machine beer can be. What if you were in danger of failing the test. decided to use a BMI over 25 to define obesity, in which case 24.7 percent of Japanese age 15 and over were obese in 2002. Professional sumo wrestlers are generally far younger than 40 years old and as such, are not eligible for waist measurement. Japan being a country that has been said to have been ahead . After centuries of isolation, Japan first opened its ports to the west when it signed the Treaty of Kanagawa with the United States in 1854. Smoking is even one of the causes of metabolic syndrome, he said. While Japan cant control whether or not another country offensively attacks them, it is written into the Japanese constitution since World War II that Japan may not maintain any form of army, navy or air force. Most Japanese are covered under public health care or through their work. Go! The effect, they say, will be to encourage overmedication and ultimately raise health care costs. Why this seemed like a good idea to said employee, I cannot tell you but I can tell you that the government didnt agree. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The Metabo Law discussion was to see if I'd have any issues trying to work in Japan. This will likely include nutritional and exercise advice from professionals, with optional counseling. Indeed, this is a policy that would be very unlikely to be introduced in Western countries, where individual liberties are prioritized. If you have metabolic syndrome or any of the components of metabolic syndrome, aggressive lifestyle changes can delay or even prevent the development of serious health problems. The six-month rule was to make the paternity clearer cut. Although this law is mandated by the government, it won't land you in jail. Onishi, Norimitsu. Although their prevalence is comparatively low, it is increasing, along with other chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. For the Soviet tax on food, see, Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale, Center for Science in the Public Interest, "Another Thing Big In Japan: Measuring Waistlines", "The Public Health and Economic Benefits of Taxing Sugar-Sweetened Beverages", "Price and maternal obesity influence purchasing of low- and high-energy-dense foods", "Could targeted food taxes improve health? Primary prevention of CVD, diabetes and obesity occurs through MetS screening during the annual check-ups. Japans unique culture fosters social harmony through solidarity and respect of the community. For example, between 2008 and 2015, the Act required 65% attendance for annual check-ups for the 40-74-year-old target population and a decrease in the rate of MetS within the local population by 25%. A concerning study published just one year after the introduction of Metabo Law outlined the fact that rates of eating disorders in Japan are sharply increasing. What is so special about this law is that it holds companies and municipalities, rather than the people, accountable. It should also be remembered[weaselwords] that taxing foodstuffs is not an argument for increasing taxation. Strikeout, he said, defeat spreading across his face. It is more commonly known as "metabo law," named after "metabolic syndrome" which is Japan's official name for obesity. Its an interesting policy idea on how to beat the obesity epidemic. Success! It might seem strange, then, that Japan took the step of introducing one of the worlds most restrictive laws around personal weight management in 2008. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. This explains the Metabo Law's effect on each determinant of public heath. Japan's largest maker of personal computers, says it's possible to . This is one of those urban legends many of us have heard about the unique culture of Japan that a person can be fined or charged simply for being overweight. The law was amended in 2016 to state that women may remarry immediately after divorce unless they are pregnant, in which case they must wait 100 days to remarry. Fail to make the measure means counselling and lifestyle changes. For me, its a failure because its not been effective, he said, citing health ministry figures that show of the 52 million or so people aged between 40 and 74 who are meant to undergo annual exams, less than half do so, about 23 million. However, a February 2010 poll by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute found that New York City residents overwhelmingly favor a soft drink tax, with 76 percent wanting the tax, and 22 percent opposing it. This rule was promoted all over the Japan with posters and signs. [17], There is also no guarantee that consumers will change their eating habits. Japanese citizens can't be fined or imprisoned for being overweight. This is an actual law in Japan since 1948 an accidental flash of the thigh area can carry a prison sentence of up to 29 days. [citation needed]. [37] The proposed sugar tax plans were also scrapped. What if you were in danger of failing the test? First of all, the appropriateness of using waist circumference as a diagnosis tool is under scrutiny by the international community. Sumo wrestlers are celebrated Japanese athletes, and none of them meet the recommended waist size do the government make exceptions for those involved in sumo wrestling? The same holds for tobacco. Is 33.5 inches and for women, it also aims to reduce the burden of disease in the West struggled! Revenue from junk food taxes be used to subsidize more healthful foods and fund nutrition campaigns 33.5 inches and should. 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