[Nyororin]

I believe that you can have a genetic predisposition toward gaining weight - but not that it means you are destined to be overweight. It`s just easier to get there. Wrong choices do more damage - but the damage won`t happen if you don`t make the wrong choices. Anyone is capable of being thin, and I think that blaming it entirely on genetics is denial. There are a few medical disorders that cause you to be overweight, but short of that it is indeed your choices.

With this study in Japan, it`s to check the status of workplaces to allow opportunities for people to move around - get a healthy lunch - etc. Places that offer few "moving" breaks (long enough to leave the company and walk around for a little bit), and short lunch times tend to have more overweight employees. Even if they have the same amount of total breaks a day. You`re far more likely to take a walk outside if you have a single 30 minute break than if you have three 10 minute breaks. You`re also more likely to eat a healthy lunch if you have 60 minutes for your lunch break rather than 30. Combine that with a desk job, and you`re basically not moving at all during the day.

This measuring the waistlines thing is definitely not new though - they`ve been measuring them at all the national and company health checks for at least 8 years. (When we started taking part in them) You get weight counseling if your waist is over a certain size.

I don`t really think it should be done in US schools. Children themselves are not really the problem. It`s parents who see childhood obesity as "baby fat" or the like and teach their kids that a fast food meal is okay if you order a diet drink on the side.