Underweight Women: Extreme Desire To Be Thin Damages Health

Editorial

14:29 JST, May 25, 2025

There is an increasing number of women who are too thin, damaging their health as a result. If a person is naturally slim and healthy, there is no problem. But many are engaging in excessive dieting and becoming malnourished.

A trend of prioritizing one’s appearance is spreading throughout society, and consequently, women appear to have become more susceptible to the desire to be thin. This mindset must be corrected.

Japanese women reportedly have the highest proportion of underweight individuals among developed nations. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the percentage of Japanese women classified as underweight based on body mass index was about five times higher than in the United States and Germany.

Additionally, a survey by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry found that women classified as underweight were particularly prevalent among younger generations, with one in four women in their 20s falling into this category.

Moreover, a survey indicated that half of young women who are underweight want to lose even more weight, which is concerning.

Amid this situation, experts have begun to sound the alarm.

Last month, the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity classified health problems caused by low body weight and malnutrition in women as a “disease,” and it launched efforts to establish treatment and prevention methods.

Low body weight and malnutrition can lead to anemia, abnormal menstrual cycles, and reduced muscle strength and bone density. In severe cases, it can result in infertility or osteoporosis.

Those who are severely thin are also more prone to diabetes, just like people who are obese. It is important to be aware of the risks of low body weight and pay attention to one’s diet, exercise and sleep on a daily basis.

If malnutrition continues with low body weight, such women may also give birth to underweight babies in the future, potentially leading to disabilities or developmental delays. Recent studies suggest that such children have a higher risk of developing diabetes or hypertension in adulthood.

Some people develop eating disorders, such as anorexia or overeating, after becoming mentally ill as the result of prolonged extreme dieting.

The rise in people unable to suppress their desire to lose weight partly stems from the influence of social media. There are endless cases of women who are influenced by videos about people’s dieting experiences and resort to extreme eating restrictions.

It is especially important to protect adolescents in their development period. The government may urge social media companies to impose certain restrictions on content, such as extreme diet videos, that could cause children to have an inferiority complex about their physical appearance.

Casual remarks like “You’re a bit chubby” or “You’ve gained weight” made by family members or others around them can be taken seriously by young women and lead to eating disorders and other conditions. It is important to be mindful of whether the idea that “being thin equals beauty” is being forced on a person.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 25, 2025)