According to Japanese law, I'm overweight.

[randomness]

By now you may have heard of the Japanese law that requires companies and local governments to measure the waistlines of Japanese between the ages of 40 and 74. If you haven't, read http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/06/metabo-your-figure-or-your-job.html.

The limits are 33.5 inches for men, 35.4 inches for women.

To give you an idea of how strict that is...*I* barely miss the limit. (Well, if I suck in my stomach, I can pass, but I don't know if that'd be allowed.)

Those of you who have seen me lately can vouch for the fact that I'm not exactly overweight. Nor am I very large. You can gauge from my body shape what their standards require.

Glad I'm not Japanese. They'd be sending me out for mandatory counseling and monitoring.

Comments

[contrariety.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was just going to say the same thing. Women's waists tend to be smaller, don't they?

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a mistake, but the sources agree. See: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/world/asia/13fat.html

I have no explanation.

[bloodstones.livejournal.com]

Are women's waists still smaller after 40, and presumably child bearing? I also think it's wacky though.