Basically, the onsets of various diseases are affected by two factors, a "physical constitution" with a strong genetic element and an acquired "lifestyle". Even if the onsets of those diseases are in the middle-ages or older, those are the results of the cumulative effects of lifestyle habits in the long years after birth. The health of young women also affects the next generation. The Department of Lifelong Health Education is working on the development of an educational method that aims to improve lifestyle habits from adolescence to middle-aged and older. Especially, we focus on extremely underweight young women's problems and on low bone density of women, which have recently become a major issue in Japanese society.
A major feature of Japanese adolescent women compared to Western countries is the high proportion of people classified as underweight with a BMI (Body mass index) of less than 18.5. This is not only a health hazard in the same age group, but there is concern that it may adversely affect their future and even the next generation. Therefore, we aim to clarify the background of the increase in the number of people who are underweight and to develop youth education to maintain an appropriate body.
With the advent of a super-aging society, it is feared that the number of people with osteoporosis, especially women, will increase in the future. Lifelong education is necessary for the prevention. We aim to clarify problems such as lifestyle and exercise habits from adolescence to old age, and to develop preventive education.