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Examination of One's Culture Is the Key to Successful Weight
It is widely reported that the Japanese are the most long lived community in the world.  2006 statistics published by the Japanese Government pointed to the fact that there were 1.15 Million People living in Japan aged over 90 years, 29,000 of whom were over 100. It is feared, however, that Western influences will have the effect of shortening their life expectancy; and there is good reason to do so.

 

Weight plays a major role.  The lighter you are (within reason) the less stress is placed upon your body and therefore it will remain healthier longer.  It is the norm in Japanese culture to eat lightly, stopping eating when 70-80% full; it is also the norm to eat foods which are known to be healthy and low in animal fat and additives.  Energy input, needless to say, is also balanced against its use.  You simply wouldn't see a (traditional) Japanese person hopping into their car to pop out to the local store; they would walk or go on their bicycle.  Similarly they are more inclined to take the stairs than the elevator.

 

Contrast this to the Western culture, where diet is heavy in animal fats and artificial sugars, and simple everyday exercise is shunned in our quest for speed or image.  For us "more" is better, be it in size of portions or in lavish attire and trappings.  How have we developed such an attitude?  And how can we change it?  Because the only way in which we are to successfully reduce obesity levels is in the examination and understanding of our attitude and instinctive behaviors which flow from the way in which we think.

 

Perhaps this attitude stems from fear.  Fear that we are going to miss out, or fear that we are going to be perceived as lesser than someone else.  Certainly the opposite of fear is optimism, and the Japanese have this in abundance. They have a habit of giving thanks for what they have and taking every opportunity to savor what they have, no matter how small a thing it may be.  In terms of food, each dish is prepared with an eye for beauty as well as taste; it is a piece of art, and this leads to taking time in its enjoyment.  Contrast this with our fast food culture. 

 

The Japanese are Buddhists and spiritual in nature, which promotes appreciation, respect and close family ties as well as optimism. If you have no deep seated beliefs about life and where it is leading you, then how can you be truly optimistic?  Fear and worry are probably the greatest cause of health demise, alongside a poor diet. I remember reading a quote by a Dr Hinohara, who was at that time still practicing medicine at the age of 92, saying that the most important factor in longevity (which is directly related to having a balanced weight) is one's outlook on life, one's tendency to be optimistic. 

 

Dr Hinohara provided the example that people might worry that they didn't get a good nights' sleep, whereas generally a lack of sleep is not a major problem; but worrying about it is.  He observed that those who experienced tiredness after a night shift were more likely to do so as a result of resenting their obligations, far more than because of work stress. 

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