The Japan Sports Agency compiled data regarding fitness of Japanese Middle School students. The agency was established in Japan to promote athletic participation and promote a healthy life style. The JSA was established in 2015. The agency is responsible for Japan’s official sports policies. The objectives of the JSA are to ensure all citizens have opportunities play sports, maintain a healthy society, and use sport as a means of economic revitalization. The JSA also has interest in developing certain regions of Japan. The JSA is also concerned about the fitness of children. The health of girls and women was the focus in a 2023 news report. The JSA found that Junior High female student’s muscular strength dropped. The comparison was done from information collected in 2008. The boys saw an increase in strength. The report gathered not only middle school students fitness scores, but also elementary school students. A total of 990,000 elementary school children and 920,000 junior high students were in the report. A sum of1,910,000 students were included. A number of reasons could exist for the disparity. The JSA indicates the use of electronic devices and technology could explain fitness decline. Gender differences, biology, and culture are possible reason for the gap in girl’s physical fitness.
Boys and girls in the fifth grade show little difference in strength. Boys attained a fitness score of 52.6 compared to the 54.3 score for girls. The score for girls remained the same from the previous fiscal year of 2022 . The strength gap is small, but reasons exist for one existing at these early ages . Girls participate in lower numbers in sports. Physical education is not designed to be as rigorous for girls. Japan does have a socially conservative culture and gender roles are central to it. Sports were at a time not considered a proper activity for women. This has changed with more Japanese girls and women participating compared to the late 20th century. The news report does not mention that Japanese girls might not be encouraged to be physically active, due to particular cultural attitudes. Context matters when discussing differences in data among groups. Numbers themselves do not provide detailed explanations.
Certain events can cause gaps in the data. The Great East Japan Earthquake disrupted collection. The Covid-19 pandemic also effected data. Physical fitness capacity increases in boys between 13 to 17. Girl’s score is not a record low, but a decrease due to various factors.
Sociological factors and biology are determining these fitness scores. Boys as they mature experience a strength spurt . Androgens make the muscles bigger and increase bone density. Junior high school in Japan covers grades 7 to 9. The second year of junior high school children are between 13 and 14 years old. This is when puberty enhances a boy’s physical fitness. The fitness score for boys was 41.2. The previous year it was 40.9, which shows an increase. The girls went from 47.3 down to 47.1 in 2023. Note that the boys were at 52.3 fitness score, then jumped to 52.6. Girls did see a loss in strength, while boys made gains.
Children are spending more time with technology. Cell phones, video games, and computer use are activities children are doing more of. This is an explanation for lack of physical activity. Boys are spending more time on electronic devices. The survey data revealed that 17.5% fifth grade boys used their devices five hours or more. Girls for this same measure were 13.7 %. Junior high (second year ) student boys showed a 17.4 % device use for five hours or more. Junior high girls 16.0%. The screen time of girls is less than boys. The study asserts their is a correlation between screen time and physical fitness. Based on this claim girls should have higher hours of screen time. Those with screen time of three hours or more saw a drop below the national average. The score got worse for those with screen time going from four hours and up. The use of electronic devices is not the sole culprit.
Muscle mass percentage changes with age. Sedentary lifestyles can have a negative impact on health. Girls and women need exercise to maintain the musculoskeletal system. Inactivity would disproportionately effect them. The more muscle a person has protects them.
Children spend most of their time in school. The majority of this time is spent being sedentary. The only physical activity is recess or a physical education class . After school and weekends are also opportunities for physical activity. Getting boys and girls involved in youth sports can also be a solution. Participation can be either in school or outside of it. Parents and physical education teachers have to make this possible. Blaming smartphones and video game consoles is not a solution. Parents and teachers can control and limit technology use.
Public health measures can also harm a person’s fitness. A government official was quoted in the text explaining some events can not changed. The response to the COVID-19 pandemic was to do lockdowns and have schools closed. The public health measures resulted in students using their electronic devices more. Staying at home meant no access to playgrounds, parks, or school gymnasiums. Japan have the lowest rate of death among the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Particular public health measures could have done more harm than good. Students missing school resulted in learning loss and the 2023 drop in physical fitness. Japan News does not mention this, because of the controversies surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking at the fitness scores, one should not be surprised at the decline. The percentages are not so large that it causes alarm. If the pattern continues then changes are required. Girls need exercise and fitness to help them later in life. The average life expectancy is higher for women. To maintain independence in old age exercise should be part of self-care. Recommendations can be made to increase the quality of girls physical education and getting them to participate in more sports.
