Japan Imposes "Fine On Fat"

[Bob Hubbard]

Japan Imposes "Fine On Fat"

Posted by timothy on Tuesday June 24, @10:35AM
from the fat-man-vs.-the-state dept.
An anonymous reader writes "A recently-introduced law in Japan requires all businesses to have mandatory obesity checks (video link) for all their employees and employees' family members over the age of 40, CNN reports. If the employee or family member is deemed obese, and does not lose the extra fat soon, their employer faces large fines. The legislated upper limit for the waistline is 33.5" for men, and 35.5" for women. Should America adopt universal health insurance, could we live to see the same kind of individual health regulations imposed on us by the government? By comparison, the average waistline in America in 2005 was 39 inches for men, 37 inches for women."

From Slashdot.

 

[Xue Sheng]

So...whose going to tell the Sumo wrestlers

 

[CoryKS]

It's like they say... the fattest nail gets hammered down.

Should America adopt universal health insurance, could we live to see the same kind of individual health regulations imposed on us by the government?

Why, no! I am sure they will let us *helmet laws* live our lives the way we *seatbelt laws* want to.

 

[jkembry]

I see this is from an anonymous...somebody. Is there any link other than the video link? Have searched an found nothing other than slashdot.

 

[Xue Sheng]

It's like they say... the fattest nail gets hammered down.



Why, no! I am sure they will let us *helmet laws* live our lives the way we *seatbelt laws* want to.

why is it I am all of a sudden thinking about *elpoep thgiewrevo rof elbuod gnigrahc senilria* the helmet law and seatbelt law

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Was all I found at the moment.


I don't think it would work in the US....at least not in WNY. Too many puffy people here....

 

[Nolerama]

Does imposing fines on overweight people infringe on one's right to pursue happiness in the US?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Probably, but they can write it off as "public good".

 

[Cryozombie]

So that would mean Lyposuction would be covered by Insurance then, and no longer an "elective surgery" right?

 

[Sukerkin]

For those interested in more details on this, try here (it's the site from which I'm learning Japanese language and I'm Admin there so I don't reckon I'll be infringing anything by linking to it):

http://japancast.net/index.php/2008/06/17/japan-begins-to-regulate-waist-size/

 

[JBrainard]

Probably, but they can write it off as "public good".

I don't think they would dare force something like that out of left field. I could however see them pushing something like that really hard. Kind of like we are not forced to vaccinate our children, but they push it really hard because it truely is for the "public good."
...
If it got me a free gym membership I'd go for it

 

[CoryKS]

If it got me a free gym membership I'd go for it

Yeah, but it would probably be some crappy state-run gym with broken equipment and rude employees.

 

[Cryozombie]

Yeah, but it would probably be some crappy state-run gym with broken equipment and rude employees.

And a 6 day wait for the treadmill. LOL

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I'm still trying to get the free car thing put through. Someone else can work on the treadmill bill.

 

[terryl965]

Well since I am fat, I guess I will not be moving to Japan

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Ditto. LOL

 

[Logan]

Japan Imposes "Fine On Fat"

Posted by timothy on Tuesday June 24, @10:35AM
from the fat-man-vs.-the-state dept.
An anonymous reader writes "A recently-introduced law in Japan requires all businesses to have mandatory obesity checks (video link) for all their employees and employees' family members over the age of 40, CNN reports. If the employee or family member is deemed obese, and does not lose the extra fat soon, their employer faces large fines. The legislated upper limit for the waistline is 33.5" for men, and 35.5" for women. Should America adopt universal health insurance, could we live to see the same kind of individual health regulations imposed on us by the government? By comparison, the average waistline in America in 2005 was 39 inches for men, 37 inches for women."

From Slashdot.

It's true, though not as severe as it sounds. Some Japanese companies took the same approach to their employees learning english some years ago. I am personally all for it.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Oh is this ever going to be an unpopular post

I was thinking about this, likely much more than I should and maybe just maybe this IS what Japan needs to do.

They were a fairly healthy people until they started trying to act like us and EAT like us and the same EXACT thing is now happening in China too.

I have told my wife on many occasions that one day America will take over the world because there is ABSOLUTLY no other country on the planet that can eat like us and survive and we keep sending them all our fast food joints so we will eventually be the lasts ones standing.

A fine may be a bit harsh but it may be EXACTLY what a country like Japan needs to stop look and realize that all the junk they are eating is not exactly good for them and the fact that they now actually have a heart attack rate, that they for all intensive purposes they previously did not have may be a justification to tell them to get healthy.

 

[Big Don]

I'm not fat, I'm Fluffy! (Gabriel Iglesias)
I'm not fat, I'm big boned! (Eric Cartman)