Japan Has Less Obesity: Here's Why

[@DrTonyHampton]

Group exercise or calisthenics, known as "rajio taiso” Forest bathing also called “shinrin-yoku” In Japan, there is a strong sense of community and purpose, often referred to as “ikigai”

[@youdontknowwhoiam5097]

Almost no one I speak to is willing to fully take responsibility for reading the ingredients and avoiding starch, seed oils, chemicals, high fructose corn syrup , etc. this would mean no restaurants, and that 90 % of foods in the grocery store. They prefer convenience.

[@DrTonyHampton]

Agree

[@dybusmariusz]

@@youdontknowwhoiam5097 just because people are not willing to read doesn't mean food producers shouldn't bear consequences for adding poisons or poisonous chemicals to food- that should be their responsibility and not consumers responsibility.

[@mandelharvey3429]

You do know they make the label indecipherable for the layman. We see heart healthy. A trusted group of scientist say so. So don't blame people for not being smarter than the trillion dollars centuries old machine trying to convince. Satan is an exhorter. Eat this to be like us. If you eat this ye shall not surely die. It worked on Eve. She fed the household. Believe in God or not. The devil is was and looks like gonna be.

[@chris2329]

We are obese because of ignorance and laziness. People want a quick meal and it's usually processed foods. Our country everything is based on profit. Companies sell crap that's quick and cheap to make

[@catobie1948]

Japan is safe. Takes the stress away. Small Children take the train by themselves to school. You can walk at night without worry. They live by the law. Assault is a crime posters are in subway stations. It's a different world.

[@DrTonyHampton]

Amazing

[@CarnivoreChanz]

My Grandmothers Home. Thank you Dr Hampton for always educating us and actually caring. You Rock

[@DrTonyHampton]

I can’t wait to visit Japan 🇯🇵

[@StephanieBoyd-q8p]

Another inspirational podcast. Thank you!

[@DrTonyHampton]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@elenadevriezecraig9685]

Good Morning Doctor Hampton! This is a very interesting study.Thank - you for sharing. I am going to adapt a few of these healthy habits for the good for my community and health.

[@DrTonyHampton]

Please do We have to learn from those who are finding success in the areas that we care about

[@ClassicJukeboxBand]

There is also a genetic component to their ability to gain body fat. Asians on average, like Indians don't seem to store as much body fat on average than others do, but metabolic diseases manifest just as rapidly.

[@DrTonyHampton]

Nice point

[@genericuser321]

BUT! Asians develop type 2 diabetes at lower BMIs, at younger ages, suffer longer with complications of diabetes, and die sooner than people in other regions. Childhood obesity has increased substantially and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has now reached epidemic levels in Asia. "Skinny-fat" is extremely common, where they may seem slim, but they have very high visceral fat on their internal organs. Source: Ethnic differences in body composition and the associated metabolic profile: A comparative study between Asians and Caucasians (Wulan, S.N. et al.)

[@mandelharvey3429]

Physical activity discouraged by long commutes and long hours. Also poor diet causes more odor from sweat. Being more self conscious to do less activity during the working day for anyone not on a physical job.

[@barbaragaona7785]

Very interesting video,Dr. I feel we in the US have gotten away from eating clean,1 ingredient food. At 72, I love the pared down food that I eat now. Also, Intermittent Fasting 18-20 hours a day. Sometimes OMAD. I am no longer obsessed with food. It was a process that started in 2019. We can do this as we age. 🙏 💪 ♥

[@DrTonyHampton]

Wonderful!

[@magsrankin6166]

Love your work, Tony! Greetings from Brisbane, Australia.

[@DrTonyHampton]

Awesome, thank you!

[@georgewilson7808]

It is the Okinawans’ diet, however, that may have the most potential to change our views on healthy ageing. Unlike the rest of Asia, the Okinawan staple is not rice, but the sweet potato, first introduced in the early 17th Century through trade with the Netherlands. Okinawans also eat an abundance of green and yellow vegetables - such as the bitter melon - and various soy products. Although they do eat pork, fish and other meats, these are typically a small component of their overall consumption, which is mostly plant-based foods. The low protein diets seem to promote the cell repair and maintenance.

[@Jeffs60]

Only 1 percent of Japan and Okinawa diet is from sweet potatoes except for the years of about 1948-1952. They eat a lot of vegetables, all kinds but not sweet potatoes. Some Okinawa centenarians still consume goats head soup, sea snake soup and pork intestine soup. Do you think they just learned how to do that in the last 50 years?

[@Jeffs60]

Show me one photo or one video of any family in Japan or in Okinawa sitting at the dinner table with all the foods spread out with the family eating and you tell me how many sweet potatoes you see? One percent of the Japan or Okinawa diet is from sweet potatoes because they really don't like them that much. But if it is 1948-1952 after the war in Okinawa and you are starving you will eat anything including the sweet potatoes that were shipped in and that diet wrecked their health.

[@viannanolen-peters1392]

Great information! Thank you.

[@DrTonyHampton]

You bet!

[@jaxson1948]

Outstanding!

[@DrTonyHampton]

Thank you kindly!

[@mandelharvey3429]

Seems like the day takes an hour past my bedtime. Cortisol and chronic sleep deficit. No time no cook. No cook no money. More stress. More cortisol.

[@judyking4597]

Dr Hampton, although Japan has low obesity, there is a high occurrence of type 2 diabetes.

[@DrTonyHampton]

Thanks for your insights My Google. Search revealed the following: “The incidence of diabetes is significantly lower in Japan compared to the United States. Japan’s diabetes prevalence is around 7-8%, while the U.S. has a prevalence of about 11-12%. The difference is often attributed to lifestyle factors: the Japanese diet tends to be lower in processed foods and sugar, and their culture emphasizes portion control, physical activity, and communal meals. In contrast, the U.S. diet is more heavily influenced by ultra-processed foods and larger portion sizes, contributing to higher rates of obesity and metabolic disorders.” So although they’re doing better, it seems that even Japan 🇯🇵 still has some work to do

[@judyking4597]

@@DrTonyHamptonbut japans diabetes is quickly on the rise despite low obesity levels. I grew up in Japan and many of my Japanese friends have type 2 diabetes or have died from complications. Japan isn’t as healthy as Google search makes it out to be. Just saying.

[@nataliajimenez1870]

​@@judyking4597 Like Dr Bikman points out, many people in East and South Asia tend to have a smaller number of fat cells so it's harder for them to get fat, but they can develop metabolic disease at a lower weight. It's harder to be a healthy overweight Asian. There's also a rise in the consumption of sugar in Asia and this might be correlated to the increase in the incidence of diabetes. Plus switching the traditional animal cooking oils like lard to highly processed seed oils might also be promoting metabolic disease. This difference has been particularly seen in India with the replacement of ghee (clarified butter) by "heart healthy" seed oils.

[@tristanhnl]

@@judyking4597 , I suppose that illustrates being thin doesn't necessarily equate to being healthy. Sugar just wrecks havoc in all sorts of ways.

[@oldbiker9739]

The food pyramid is the worlds head stone .

[@jackiedelvalle]

Japanese naturally fast. They DON'T eat 6 times a day, as we do. That's why they can get away with eating lots of rice and noodles bc they're having two or three wholefood meals a day. That's what I believe the fundamental difference is.

[@DrTonyHampton]

Nice point

[@159awi]

It would be interesting to know how often they eat.

[@DrTonyHampton]

The typical Japanese eating pattern varies depending on lifestyle and personal habits, but traditionally, most Japanese people eat three meals a day: 1. Breakfast (Asa-gohan): • Often considered an important meal, typically consisting of rice, miso soup, grilled fish, pickled vegetables, and sometimes natto (fermented soybeans). However, modern Japanese breakfasts may include bread or Western-style options like eggs and coffee. 2. Lunch (Hiru-gohan): • Usually lighter than dinner, common choices include bento boxes, ramen, soba, udon, sushi, or rice bowls (donburi). 3. Dinner (Ban-gohan): • The largest and most elaborate meal, often shared with family. It typically includes rice, soup, a main dish (like fish or meat), and several side dishes with vegetables. Snacking (Oyatsu): Some people snack between meals, especially children or those with busy lifestyles. Popular snacks include rice crackers (senbei), onigiri, or sweets.

[@159awi]

@DrTonyHampton thank you Dr Hampton!

[@Agapy8888]

I eat steaks, lamb chops and goat.

[@DrTonyHampton]

Love it

[@loonwengfatt1416]

Standard American Diet which is mainly ultr processed foods is the main reason for obesity

[@DrTonyHampton]

Agreed

[@Bama_J]

Good morning

[@DrTonyHampton]

Same to you Let’s make it a great day

[@dybusmariusz]

In my opinion food in America is more addictive.

[@DrTonyHampton]

Now that’s an opinion I can’t argue against

[@dybusmariusz]

@DrTonyHampton Tony, I could give you a hint how to shift your profile as a fibre fighter but that would require a lot of guts because the system is fighting like a lioness. You can easily find many studies on fibre on pubmed as it definitely causes colon cancer and there is connection to breast cancer. Fibre is the most dangerous substance plants produce, and it's a carbohydrate ( polysaccharide). Undermining fibre's position as a nutrient would destroy their plant based agenda - fibre is wood, sawdust, cardboard, paper, jeans, cotton t-shirt, even so called soluble fibre is soluble in hot water which is not happening in human body. I hope you'll pick up a gauntlet. Fibre causes constipation, diarrhea, anal bleeding, damages gut lining and more.

[@magsrankin6166]

And that's no accident. Deliberately geared that way.

[@georgewilson7808]

Japanese as a whole do not live that long. They have taken to consuming Western diets high in animal products. The centenarians of Okinawa Japan eat predominately whole food plant based.

[@georgewilson7808]

FOOD HABITS IN LATER LIFE STUDY was undertaken among five cohorts in Japan, Sweden, Greece and Australia. Legumes were found to be the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities. The results showed that for every 20 grams (one ounce) increase in daily legumes intake there was an 8% reduction in the risk of death. This study shows that no matter what your ethnic background or where you live, eat more legumes to live longer, especially as you age. Of all the food groups including meat, legumes alone had consistent and statistically significant results.

[@keithwhitlock726]

@@georgewilson7808 Hong Kong has the highest life spans and they eat 50% more meat than the rest of the world. It's almost impossible to find a vegan restaurant in Japan. Eat meat for health. American health has plummeted since the establishment of the upside down food pyramid which focuses on plant based diets

[@judyking4597]

No. They have taken to highly processed convenience foods not more animal products. Their diet is mostly carbs. They have poor metabolic health. They are not that healthy actually.

[@tconcotelli]

Okinawan’s eat a lot of pork.

[@DrTonyHampton]

Contrary to popular belief, Okinawans do eat pork, and it plays a significant role in their traditional diet. A typical Okinawan meal often includes pork, vegetables like bitter melon (goya), sweet potatoes, seaweed, tofu, and miso soup. Pork is used from ‘nose to tail,’ ensuring no part goes to waste, and it’s often slow-cooked to remove excess fat. This nutrient-dense diet, combined with their active lifestyle, is a key factor in Okinawans’ remarkable longevity and health.

[@KetoMama777]

Junk food

[@DrTonyHampton]

SAD diet