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◇Metabolic syndrome program fails to catch on

http://mainichi.jp/life/weekly/news/20090810wek00m040015000c.html

A nationwide survey by the Mainichi suggests that a government program to fight the spread of metabolic syndrome is suffering from low examination rates while experts are calling for reform of the program.

The survey covered healthcare facilities in 806 cities and wards across Japan. The program was introduced last spring to offer special exams and guidance for metabolic syndrome, a condition that may lead to a number of medical disorders linked to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

But exams under the program consist of a fewer number of tests compared with basic health exams for residents done by many local governments until fiscal 2007, before the program started. The new exams are limited to measuring abdominal girth and giving blood tests to confirm the presence of metabolic syndrome. Moreover, electrocardiograms and fundus examinations are not included, so many patients complain that the new medical checkup isn't worth the effort.

As for the reason why relatively few people are having the exams, health officials in more than a third of the cities and wards blamed the decrease in the number of tests. "We can't get a clear picture on people's precise health conditions with the provisions set out by the national government," explained one local health official.

毎日ウィークリー2009年8月8日号