Effects of urbanization on health and fitness of East Asian children in view points of physiological anthropology

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From 2003 to 2006,about 3,300 schoolchildren in Chunchon (Korea), Dalien (china), Taichung (Taiwan), Sapporo and Kitakyushu (Japan) were investigated on their 1) anthropometric measurements, 2) fitness and motor ability, 3) the resting metabolic rate by analyzing respirates, activity levels by attaching an accelerator and by the self-rating method, 4) energy intake, nutrition states and eating behavior by self-rating methods, 5) local tolerance to cold by a newly developed and convenient apparatus, 6) living environments, living time schedules, living behavior like using a computer by the questionnaire method, further more, the beginning of menarche and past allergy by the medical records of schools.Body height and body weight of schoolchildren in Chunchon, Dalien and Taichung increased rapidly, associated with the recent urbanization and changes in the life style, It is superior to those of schoolchildren in Japan where urbanization appeared earliest. As the increase in body weight wa … More s more marked than body height, BMI and percent body fat were in high levels. Obesity of schoolchildren in these cities is thought to be one of the health problems in many schools. Bone mineral density was higher in Kitakyushu and Taichung schoolchildren.Fitness and motor ability increased partly with physique enlargements, but some measurements were decreased with high BMI and percent body fat. Japanese schoolchildren showed good achievements in general.Physical conditions described above were compared with physical activity levels in daily living, dietary intake and dietary behavior. Many correlations were obvious between them. Females were more active than males in many cases other than in Japan. It coincided with physical characteristics between the sexes.Local tolerance to cold which may be decreased in the urbanize environment was related to morphologic characteristics and ways of daily living.Questionnaire data were summarized in a data base, and characteristics of living schedules and living environment of schoolchildren in each city were obvious. Less