児童・生徒の身長に関する国際比較の研究
日本・スイスの場合
1997 年 1997 巻 25 号 p. 29-33
詳細
1997 年 1997 巻 25 号 p. 29-33
The growth in the height of children in Japan was compared with that in Switzerland. After World War II, Japanese improved physically.
The growth in the height of Japanese children who were born between 1954 and 1956 shows a similar tendency to that of children in Switzerland during the same time, but the change in the height of Japanese children was comparatively less: 5.9cm to 8.9cm in boys and 5.3cm to 8.5cm in girls than that of Swiss children.
During the next 20 years, Japanese children became taller and close to the height of Swiss children. For example, the height of the 12 to 14 year old boys and the 11 to 12 year old girls in Japan became nearly equal to those of Swiss children.
It is said that the primary factors promoting the growth of children are changes in food, clothing and house. After World War II, nutrition and the living environment improved as the Japanese economy developed. The diet changed from rice and pickles to a more balanced diet. The 11 year old boys and 13 year old girls, grew remarkably. It is probably because primary school meals were planned nutritionally. When the students entered high school, their diet returned to unbalanced one and they were subjected to a stress for preparing examination. As a result, the rate of growth in height decreased rapidly.
