Why do Japanese people not like sports, but they live the healthiest and longest life? 4 reasons to ponder

According to the latest report from the Chosun Times, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare released the statistics of life expectancy per capita in 2021;

The average life expectancy of men is 81.47 years, a decrease of 0.09 years from 2020;

The average life expectancy for women is 87.57 years, a decrease of 0.14 years from 2020.

Although Japan's average life expectancy has fallen for the first time in 10 years, it is undeniable that Japan still ranks among the world's longest-lived countries for a long time .

It is often said, "Life is about movement," which means that movement helps prolong life.

However, in a survey of the least sports-loving countries in the world published in The Lancet Global Health in 2018, Japan ranked very high, with only 40% of people able to actively exercise .

Why Japanese people don't like sports, but they live the healthiest and longest life? Could it be that the effect of exercise on prolonging life is not as great as imagined?

1. Harvard study: 20 minutes of exercise a day may reduce mortality

Recently, in a study on exercise and lifespan published in "Circulation", researchers conducted a survey of more than 100,000 people in the form of questionnaires for more than 30 years, and analyzed the data and found that:

• Compared with people who do not exercise, people who do moderate to moderate exercise per week (300-600 minutes of exercise per week) can reduce the risk of death by 21-23%;
• Those who exercised vigorously every week (150-300 minutes a week) were associated with a 26-31% lower risk of death;
• Long-term high-intensity physical activity (>300 minutes/week) or moderate-intensity physical activity (>600 minutes/week) did not further reduce mortality.

This research is basically in line with the direction recommended in the guidelines issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services, that is, there is solid evidence for the association between regular physical activity and a reduced risk of premature death .

2. Why do Japanese people live long without loving sports?

The Japanese do not like sports, but they still live long. What is their secret to longevity?

1. Unique eating habits

The "European Nutrition Journal" surveyed the dietary data of 92,000 Japanese and found that Japan has a "set" of different eating habits:

Eat "less" : You are used to being full every day, and you will control your calorie intake;

Eat "fresh" : the dishes are mainly made with less oil and less salt, and keep the original taste as much as possible;

Eating "white" : Compared with red meat such as pigs, cattle and sheep, Japanese prefer to eat deep-sea fish;

Love to eat soy products : The daily soybean consumption ranks first in the world, not only tofu, but Japanese people prefer soybean fermented foods, such as miso and natto.

2. The obesity rate is very low

According to the World Health Organization report, Japan has one of the lowest obesity rates in the world, with an obesity rate below 5% .

Although the Japanese do not like sports, as early as 2008, the Japanese government advocated the "National Waist Slimming Program" and promulgated legal regulations to strictly check the waist circumference of the middle-aged and elderly people. The waist circumference of men should be controlled within 85 cm, and the waist circumference of women should be controlled within 90 cm. within centimeters.

3. Most of the trips are mainly walking or cycling

Japanese people like to travel by walking and cycling. In terms of the number of bicycles per 100 people, the number of Japan even exceeds that of China.

Taxi-hailing is such a luxury in Japan that walking and biking are widely viewed as saving money and convenience, even if it may take more time.

4. A good medical environment

In Japan, people who hold the "National Health Handbook" can enjoy medical insurance. Almost all items only need 30% of their own expenses, and the rest is borne by the state. This also facilitates the Japanese to seek medical treatment, allowing the elderly in Japan to live longer and healthier.

3. The biggest "enemy" of longevity: chronic disease

There are many factors that affect longevity, and the biggest threat is chronic disease.

In 2019, a study published in The Lancet analyzed the top ten causes of death among Chinese residents in the past 30 years. Stroke is the top cause of death, followed by heart disease and respiratory cancer.

In China, chronic diseases account for 88.5% of all deaths . In other words, if you want to live longer, you must overcome chronic diseases as much as possible.

Do you have enough disease resistance? If the body meets these indicators, then congratulations, the ability to prevent disease is very high.

1. The two circumferences do not exceed the standard, and the disease is less likely to come

Waist circumference standard: male < 85 cm, female < 80 cm

Neck circumference standard: male < 38 cm, female < 35 cm

The thicker the waist and neck circumference, may indicate that the body's blood sugar and blood lipids exceed the standard , which means that the risk of chronic diseases also increases.

2. The three major indicators are normal, and chronic diseases are far away

Blood pressure standard: systolic blood pressure <120 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure <80 mmHg

Blood sugar standard: fasting blood sugar <6.1 mmol/L, and 2 hours postprandial blood sugar <7.8 mmol/L

Low-density lipoprotein standard: normal value is <3.4 mmol/L

Excessive indicators are related to the three basic diseases of hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia.

3, walking fast, good cardiopulmonary function

Pace > 0.8 m/s

People who walk fast have good cardiorespiratory fitness and healthy muscles and bones.

4. The better the grip strength, the healthier the heart

Grip strength body mass index >50, insufficient grip strength, it means that the vascular function of the upper body is decreased, the elasticity of blood vessels is insufficient, and the risk of hypertension is easy to occur.

Are you meeting these targets?

In fact, not only in Japan, but with the improvement of people's health awareness, people all over the world are living longer and longer. Some studies have found that in the future, human lifespan is likely to be extended to 150 years old, of course, this premise is that you have a healthy enough body.

References:

[1] "Harvard 30-year study: 20 minutes of exercise a day reduces mortality by a quarter". Bio Valley. 2022-08-01

[2] "How long can a person live? How to live longer? About longevity, the whole article is clear! 》. Tencent Medical Code. 2022-02-06

[3] "8 hard indicators of longevity! If they all meet the standards, they may be "candidates" for longevity". Health Times. 2022-07-18

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