Penalties for being overweight...

Apparently, Japan feels that they need to measure waist to help fight obesity and other related diseases...here is the name of the article and some quotes from it. Link to article is at bottom.

Japan, Seeking Trim Waists, Measures Millions

"Those exceeding government limits — 33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for
women, which are identical to thresholds established in 2005 for Japan by the
International Diabetes
Federation as an easy guideline for identifying health risks — and having a
weight-related ailment will be given dieting guidance if after three months they
do not lose weight. If necessary, those people will be steered toward further
re-education after six more months.
To reach its goals of shrinking the
overweight population by 10 percent over the next four years and 25 percent over
the next seven years, the government will impose financial penalties on
companies and local governments that fail to meet specific targets. The
country’s Ministry of Health argues that the campaign will keep the spread of
diseases like diabetes and strokes in check."

I saw this on MSN this morning...what do you think? for the full article click here http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/world/asia/13fat.html?no_interstitial

I don't know. I definately think our government needs to do something about the rapidly growing problems related to being obese but I am just not sure this would be the course of action I would take.
Although to directly quote someone from the article

“I don’t think the campaign will have any positive effect. Now if you did this
in the United States, there would be benefits, since there are many Americans
who weigh more than 100 kilograms,” or about 220 pounds, Mr. Ogushi said. “But
the Japanese are so slender that they can’t afford to lose weight.”

Anyhoo, thought I would share!