Abstract
Objectives : The purpose of this study was to clarify the obesity status and lifestyle characteristics of Filipinos residing in urban area of Japan. Methods : Self-reported anonymous English questionnaires were distributed to 60 Filipinos aged 20 years and older residing in Japan. Results : Among the 53 responses received, 40 valid responses were selected for analysis. Of the total number of subjects, 30.0% were men and 70.0% were women. The rate of obesity (BMI ≧ 25) was 25.0%. Compared to women, men had a significantly higher frequency of "living with someone other than a family member," "post-graduate education," "working more than 8 hours per day", "eating Philippine cuisine everyday", "eating a large number of merienda per day", a significantly lower "average of the score of various food intakes." Compared to non-obese individuals, obese individuals had a significantly higher "waist circumference ≧ 90 cm," significantly more "physical fatigue due to work," significantly lower "frequency of eating Japanese cuisine." Conclusions : The rate of obesity (BMI ≧ 25) was 25.0%. These findings suggest the necessity of preventive care in order to protect against obesity and maintain the health of Filipinos residing in Japan.
