Japan with lowest Infant Mortality Rate and few underweight children

The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) released its landmark report The State of the World’s Children 2019 on October 15. It projects data on various parameters related to the development of children, subsequently provides ranking to the World countries. According to the statistics Japan received the highest score, topping the charts for Child nutrition and the country with the lowest obesity rates. The data also ranked Japan at the top for other childhood health indicators which included low infant mortality rate and few malnourished children. 

Why Japan tops the list?

The data revealed that Japan among 41 developed nations reported the lowest incidences of childhood obesity as per the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and European Union. Japan is reported to be a health-conscious society. The rate of children aged five to 19 who are obese accounts for only 14.42 percent which is far lower than most other developed countries. The children undergo periodic check-ups which help in monitoring their health and addressing any health concerns. According to the experts, Japan's School Lunch program is an initiative by the Japan government which has played a key role in getting favourable results. The initiative aims at providing school meals with a balanced diet which are specially created by the nutritionists. The meal is provided across all primary and junior high schools in Japan. 

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The students are provided with a balanced diet

The lunch is made keeping in mind the high nutrition requirements of children at an early age. Each meal consists of 600-700 calories which are balanced between carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. The children are provided with meat, fish, and vegetables. The lunch provided at the school tries to compensate for the nutrients that tend to lack in the meals provided at home, said education ministry official Mayumi Ueda to global media.

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School lunches are compulsory

These lunches are highly subsidized. All the students are required to eat the lunch provided to them without any prior choices. The program does not offer any concession to vegetarians or people with religious restrictions. The school lunch is part of the Japanese education system which aims at teaching students healthy eating habits and the importance of eating a balanced diet. Japanese Government performs annual studies on nutrition and eating habits in order to improve its results.

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Regular health checkups

Another factor that contributes to Japan's low infant mortality rate is compulsory health checks which are regularly organized. Hara told global media that the parents receive reminders about the health checks from the local governments. The health checkups are performed in the schools, which also include measuring height and weight. However, she agrees that even though Japan accounts for a healthy country, it has not entirely escaped the trends of obesity which are followed in Western Countries. The less wealthy families and those suffering from poverty are likely to face obesity. In order to cut the overall meal cost, these families consume less protein and eat more carbs and sugar. Hence, the school meal becomes even more important. 

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