Several studies show that the world's children are increasingly becoming overweight and obese. According to a U.S. National Institute of Health study, the global rise in childhood obesity has become an "epidemic." The case of China is paradigmatic. In China, in addition to obesity, shortsightedness (myopia) is also increasing in children posing a serious risk to their health.
Although Japan hasn't totally solved the problem of childhood obesity, it has made significant advances in its control. One of the strategies used in Japan involved a redesigning of school lunches, which are increasingly planned by nutritionists. They feature fresh ingredients and locally grown vegetables, and include a variety of foods.
In China, a 29-year survey of 28,000 children aged between 7 and 18 was carried out in Shandong province. The study, published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, found that 17 percent of boys and 9 percent of girls were obese in 2014. This showed a significant increase from less than 1 percent for both genders in 1985. The study also showed that the increase was more notable in children aged 7 to 12 than in adolescents.