December 8, 2009
Exercise and Health (3)
In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on the correlation between cancer and exercise. Their findings show a high probability of reducing the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer with moderate exercise. The report also stated that obesity can certainly increase the risk of esophagus cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, breast cancer (after menopause), uterine cancer, kidney cancer, among others.
Moderate exercise is known to be very effective to help reduce the incidences of obesity and cancer. While obesity rates are increasing in the west, the Japanese people are less likely to be obese than Westerners, due to many factors including the overall Japanese lifestyle. The WHO defines a BMI of level 30 as being obese; however, the Japanese Society’s study of obesity considers a BMI of level 25 as obese.
In 2007, national medical expenditures in Japan reached a record high of 34 trillion Japanese yen and had an increase of 2% in 2008. Without a change of lifestyle for the Japanese people, the national cost of medical care is expected to increase. Health is not only a personal matter, but it also has a large impact on the national budget.
