Changes in the Prevalence of Hypertension and Obesity in a Rural Area of Japan

A systematic epidemiological study was conducted on 40 to 64 year old male inhabitants of an agricultural village in Kyushu in 1958 and 1977. The study investigated the prevalence of obesity and its relationship to hyper-tension. 1) The mean body weight of the subjects at each body height was significantly higher in 1977 than in 1958. The prevalence of obesity based on relative body weight was significantly higher in 1977. This increase was espe-cially pronounced in the 40-49 age group. 2) The prevalence of hypertension was nearly the same in lean, intermediate, and obese body types in 1958. There was a general increase in the number of hypertensive subjects in 1977, and the increase was greater in the obese group than in the other two groups. 3) The mean serum cholesterol levels were not different among the different body types in 1961. In 1977, significantly higher cholesterol values within the normal range were obtained in the obese group than in the lean group, espe-cially at 40-49 and 50-59 years of age. No difference was noted in the preva-lence of hypercholesterolemia (above 250 mg/dl). These observations indicate that changes in the health and disease structure of Japan have resulted from the modifications in the Japanese life style such as diet.