The Japanese people are very susceptible to slick marketing campaigns...

The Japanese people are traditionally some of the most healthy and slimmest people in the world. Their diet which consists of lots of fish, vegetables and rice is extremely good for you and has been responsible in the past for some of the world’s lowest rates of obesity. These days however things are changing with the advent of western style diets in Japan especially in the biggest cities where fast food restaurants are becoming more and more popular and the Japanese old ways of eating are slowly being thrown out and replaced with high calorie, high fat diets.

Interestingly enough the Japanese traditional foods like sushi and sashimi are becoming extremely popular in Europe as weight conscious people realise that they are extremely low in fat and high in protein and essential nutrients. The Japanese are also known for the small portions of food that they serve which is in complete contrast to the American model of huge portions that are often left unfinished. In Japan it is considered to be extremely bad manners not to finish what you are offered and therefore the portions tend to be more realistic.

In Tokyo recently long queues of young Japanese people have been noted outside American franchise fast food restaurants as word spreads of the very tasty food that is produced in these establishments and which is in complete contrast to the more staid and simple Japanese food. The marketing of many of these fast food brands relies very heavily on an idealised Hollywood/American image that is extremely prized and fashionable in Japan. The Japanese people are very susceptible to slick marketing campaigns and it looks like the Japanese will become much fatter over the next few years as big changes in their diets are registered.

Japan is not the only country to be suffering from the change from traditional diets to western style diets. Other countries like Greece have also been plagued by rises in obesity due to diet changes.