Eat like Japanese to increase height

A typical Japanese family breakfast is rich with an egg, a piece of cod, pork, two shrimp, seaweed, fruit, a bowl of soup and some rice.

Japan can be considered a typical example of height improvement. In the 40s of the last century, Vietnamese people often criticized Japanese people for being "short". However, their height has now improved very quickly. According to statistics from the Japanese Ministry of Education, from 1960 to 1975 (within 15 years), the height of teenagers in this country increased by 2.8 cm (for men) and 2.5 cm for women. This is considered a phenomenon of "miraculous physical development".

Many studies show that a child's height development depends 20% on genetics, while nutrition and environment account for 80%. Japan is an example. Accordingly, the first factor that helps Japanese people's height increase rapidly is the importance of nutritional balance, said Associate Professor Le Danh Tuyen, Director of the Institute of Nutrition.

Japanese breakfast is diverse with many different dishes. Photo: CB.

A half-century-long nutritional “revolution” has been carried out in the land of cherry blossoms, which includes focusing on breakfast for every family. “A Japanese professor once introduced me to their family’s typical breakfast, which is rich with an egg, a piece of cod, pork, two shrimps, seaweed, fruit, a bowl of soup and a little rice. Japanese breakfasts are often diverse,” Associate Professor Tuyen said.

According to Associate Professor Tuyen, since the 1950s, the Japanese have been aware of the need to diversify their meals, paying special attention to micronutrients and ionized calcium produced from shells mined in the northern region of Japan and calcium made from eggshells. Japan has also stepped up propaganda to housewives about information to improve their meals, such as 30 indispensable foods in their diet. They especially focus on nutrition for pregnant mothers and children in the first 3 years of life, as well as strongly recommending breastfeeding.

Visiting and eating at school with Japanese students, Professor Tuyen said that the students divided the rice themselves and only when 4 students had divided it did everyone eat together. Before eating, the students were reminded about balanced nutrition, what nutrients and micronutrients each dish provided. The meal had milk, but only a small box like a small cup of tea.

In addition to nutrition, exercise is also an indispensable part of preventing non-communicable diseases. “Exercise is necessary but not the key to increasing height. Exercise is extremely important because it helps children stay healthy, flexible and forming a habit to burn excess fat is necessary,” Professor Tuyen emphasized.

According to VNE