Eat like the Japanese to increase your height.

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

Japan can be considered a prime example of height improvement. In the 1940s, Vietnamese people often criticized the Japanese for being "short." However, their height has now improved very rapidly. According to statistics from the Japanese Ministry of Education, from 1960 to 1975 (within 15 years), the height of young people in the country increased by 2.8 cm (for males) and 2.5 cm for females. This is considered a phenomenon of "miraculous physical development."

Numerous studies show that a child's height development depends 20% on genetics, while nutrition and environment account for 80%. Japan is a prime example. According to Associate Professor Le Danh Tuyen, Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, the first factor contributing to the rapid increase in height among Japanese people is their emphasis on nutritional balance.

Japanese breakfasts are diverse, featuring many different dishes. Photo: CB.

A half-century-long nutritional "revolution" has taken place in Japan, focusing on breakfast for every family. "I was once shown a typical Japanese family breakfast by a professor – it's rich and includes an egg, a piece of cod, pork, two shrimp, seaweed, fruit, a bowl of soup, and some rice. Japanese breakfasts are usually very varied," said Associate Professor Tuyen.

According to Associate Professor Tuyen, since the 1950s, the Japanese have been aware of the need to enrich their meals, paying particular attention to micronutrients and ionized calcium produced from seashells harvested in northern Japan, as well as calcium from chicken eggshells. Japan also actively disseminated information to housewives to improve their meals, such as the 30 essential foods in a balanced diet. They especially focused on nutrition for pregnant mothers and children in their first three years, and strongly recommended breastfeeding.

During a visit and meal with Japanese students at a school, Professor Tuyen noted that the students divide their own rice portions, and only after four students have finished dividing do they all eat together. Before eating, they are reminded about balanced nutrition, including the nutrients and micronutrients provided by each dish. Milk is included in the meal, but only in a small carton, about the size of a small teacup.

Besides nutrition, exercise is also an indispensable part of preventing non-communicable diseases. "Exercising is necessary, but it's not the key to increasing height. A proper exercise regimen is extremely important because it helps children stay healthy and flexible, and it creates a habit of burning excess fat, which is essential," Professor Tuyen emphasized.

According to VNE