Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

28.0K

Longitudinal changes in body mass index of children affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake

W Zheng1,2, H Yokomichi2, H Matsubara3

  • 1Department of Social Medicine and Health Education, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.

International Journal of Obesity (2005)
|January 18, 2017
PubMed

Insights

The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and radiation exposure led to increased body mass index (BMI) and overweight prevalence in preschool children. These effects were more pronounced in children with direct disaster experiences.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Disaster Medicine
  • Childhood Growth

Background:

  • The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent nuclear radiation caused significant disruption, impacting child health.
  • Longitudinal studies on childhood growth following such disasters are limited, necessitating further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake on longitudinal changes in body mass index (BMI) among preschool children.
  • To compare BMI trajectories and overweight/obesity prevalence between children exposed to the disaster and a historical control group.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study comparing preschool children (4-5 years old) in affected prefectures (Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima) with a historical control group.
  • Multilevel analysis was used to compare body mass index (BMI) trajectories and the prevalence of overweight/obesity before and after the earthquake.
  • Subgroup analysis was performed on children with specific personal disaster experiences within the exposed group.

Main Results:

  • A total of 9,722 children were analyzed.
  • Children exposed to the earthquake exhibited higher body mass indices (BMI) and a greater proportion of overweight/obesity post-disaster compared to the control group.
  • These adverse health effects were more pronounced in exposed children who experienced personal disaster-related events.

Conclusions:

  • Increased BMI and overweight prevalence in children following natural disasters like the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake warrant significant attention.
  • Disaster preparedness and response strategies should consider the long-term health implications for children's growth and development.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts07:56

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Published on: January 29, 2018

18.4K
Determining Gender-Based Differences in Retinal and Choroidal Thickness in Underweight Individuals via Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography03:35

Determining Gender-Based Differences in Retinal and Choroidal Thickness in Underweight Individuals via Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography

Published on: December 1, 2023

791

Related Concept Videos

Mass and Weight01:19

Mass and Weight

Mass and weight are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation. For example,  medical records often show our weight in kilograms, but never in the correct units of newtons. In physics, however, there is an important distinction. Weight is the pull of the Earth on an object. It depends on the distance from the center of the Earth. Weight dramatically varies if we leave the Earth's surface, unlike mass, which does not vary with location. On the Moon, for example, the...
16.0K
Rigid Body Equilibrium Problems - II01:21

Rigid Body Equilibrium Problems - II

A rigid body is in static equilibrium when the net force and the net torque acting on the system are equal to zero.
Consider two children sitting on a seesaw, which has negligible mass. The first child has a mass (m1) of 26 kg and sits at point A, which is 1.6 meters (r1) from the pivot point B; the second child has a mass (m2) of 32 kg and sits at point C. How far from the pivot point B should the second child sit (r2) to balance the seesaw?
8.1K
Variation in Acceleration due to Gravity near the Earth's Surface01:20

Variation in Acceleration due to Gravity near the Earth's Surface

An object's apparent weight is its weight measured by a spring balance at its location. It is different from its true weight, the force with which the Earth pulls it, because of the Earth's rotation. Mathematically, an object's apparent weight equals its true weight minus the centripetal force that keeps it in a circular motion along with the Earth's surface every 24 hours.
The difference between the true and apparent weights is proportional to the square of the Earth's...
2.9K
Gravitational Potential Energy for Extended Objects01:07

Gravitational Potential Energy for Extended Objects

Consider a system comprising several point masses. The coordinates of the center of mass for this system can be expressed as the summation of the product of each mass and its position vector divided by the total mass:
2.0K
Obesity01:24

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in...
1.5K
Equation of Motion: Center of Mass01:14

Equation of Motion: Center of Mass

The equation of motion for a single particle can be expanded to encompass a system of particles consisting of n particles. For any arbitrarily chosen particle within this system, the net force acting upon it is the aggregate of both internal and external forces. Extending this principle to all particles within the system results in the equation of motion for the entire assembly.
Internal forces between any pair of particles manifest as collinear pairs of equal magnitude but opposite directions,...
750