Getting More Sleep among Aims of Govt Health Plan
17:06 JST, April 20, 2023
Here’s a government policy many won’t be losing sleep over.
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry will set a goal for 60% of the people in Japan to get sufficient sleep, defined as between six to eight or nine hours depending on age, by fiscal 2032.
This target will be included in the ministry’s next national health promotion plan, Health Japan 21, which will begin in the fiscal year starting April 2024.
Health Japan 21 aims to promote the prolonging of years of healthy life through numerical targets for prevention of lifestyle-related diseases, diet and exercise. The upcoming plan, which is the third version of the ministry’s health promotion measures since 2000, is expected to set about 50 goals and likely to be decided in June.
Behind the sleep goal are the results of recent studies in which lack of sleep has connections to mental and physical disorders.
The average amount of sleep in Japan is shorter than it is overseas. Men in Japan average 7 hours 52 minutes and women in the nation average 7 hours 33 minutes. The ministry aims to increase the percentage of people who get enough sleep time by 5 percentage points from the current level.
In terms of dietary improvement, the ministry wants to reduce the excessive intake of salt in Japan. The goal is to reduce the amount of daily salt intake from the current 10.1 grams to less than 7 grams per person.
The vegetable consumption target will be raised by 70 grams to 350 grams per day, while fruit consumption should be double the current level to 200 grams daily. It is believed that increasing vegetable and fruit intake will reduce the mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases.
Another target is to reduce by 10% the number of people 65 and over who suffer leg and/or back pain, factors in locomotive syndrome.
“We want the people to refer to each numerical goal to improve their lifestyles and live well in old age,” a ministry official said.
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Cherry tree falls on man on Sanneizaka steps leading to famous Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto
-
Small Animal That Appears to be Mouse Found in Chojuku Bread Products; Some Brands on Same Production Line to be Recalled Voluntarily
-
Tokyo District Court Rules AI Cannot Be Issued Patents; Law Recognizes Only ‘Natural Persons’ as Inventors
-
Earthquake Hits Japan’s Ibaraki, Tochigi, Chiba Prefectures, No Risk of Tsunami
-
Man Repels Bear Attack in Hokkaido by Kicking its Face After Encountering 2 Bears While Sightseeing
JN ACCESS RANKING
- Weakening Yen Adds Complexity to BOJ’s Rate Hike Decisions; Rising Commodity Prices may Impact ‘Virtuous Cycle’ Efforts
- Japanese Seafood Exports to China Sink 57% in FY23; U.S. Becomes Largest Seafood Export Destination
- 70% of Japan Companies to Raise Pay Scales in FY 2024
- 48.6% of Global Patent Applications Related to All-Solid-State Batteries Came from Japanese Firms; Panasonic Tops List
- UNRWA Director Describes Catastrophic Destruction in Gaza; Says Relief Trucks Robbed, ‘People’s Hearts Destroyed’