Thanks for nothing, Japan!
Sure, the country has given us Cup of Noodles, anime, Sudoku and countless regrettable tattoos, but really, Japan, what's up with this??
Apparently now, in Japan, if healthy, delicious, omega-3-rich sushi just seems too boring, you can stuff your trap with Pizza Hut Japan's Double Roll Pie. (See it here on the Japanese web site.) Please notice the crust made of bacon-wrapped mini-weiners; the tiny hamburger patties sprinkled across the pizza; the mounds of mozzrella, cheddar and parm cheese and pepperoni. At least there are soy beans and corn for our daily veggie fix!
FitSugar.com did a caloric breakdown and estimates the pie has 5,164 calories and 10,752g of sodium, which means a sngle slice has 646 calories and 1,344 mg of sodium. Barf. As if stuffed-crust izza wasn't bad enough.
I stumbled across the Pizza Hut Double Roll Pie while looking up the more recently introduced McDonald’s Japan Mega Mac. This four-patty burger is, in a word, insane. Can a non-porn star even get their mouth around all that meat? Gross. How long until we're eating this:
In other breaking Japanese-invention news, the Wall Street Journal (what, you thought I only read women's mags and Jezebel.com?) is reporting that one of Japan's largest makers of women's underwear, Wacoal, is now promoting a girdle...FOR MEN. The product, called the "ex walker," is essential super-stretchy underpants made of woven nylon and polyurethane that Wacoal says can actually tone the thighs and hips, versus the Spanx effect of sucking in and smoothing temporarily. Oh, and the girdle is being touted as a health-promoting product, not mere manly lingerie, which means it might even be eligible for insurance coverage.
That is just soooo 2007.
I mean, at the risk of buying into a possibly grossly overinflated and completely inaccurate stereotype...are there that many obese men buzzing around the downtown Tokyo business district? And, um, WTF is up with men's products being covered by insurance while women languish? Hello, Viagra?
Well, there is a legitimate health bent here: In Japan, the phrase "metabolic syndrome" is hot right now - everyone is concerned about the constellation of health factors, such as being overweight and having high blood-sugar levels, which can put a individual at risk for heart disease. Says the WSJ, according to a Japanese-government survey, 34% of men in their 40s were overweight in 2005, up from 21% in 1985, primarily due to increased meat and fat consumption (Pizza Hut weiner-burger-pie, anyone?) and a lack of exercise. With numbers like these, the government believes half of men between 40 and 74 either have or are at risk for metabolic syndrome. Looks like I don't know as much about Asian men's bodies as I thought.
With their ex walker, Wacoal is attempting to capitalize on the nation's fear of metabolic syndrome. Sure, wearing a girdle might net you some funny sidelong glances in the YMCA locker room, but isn't that better than (cue scary music)...DEATH?!
BTW is it just me or does this male girdle (mirdle?) remind anyone of Kramer's fabulous "Bro" man-bra from Seinfeld? I'm just saying...
Comments
Hey! That same pizza (almost) is in my country too! I was telling my friend if Italians come to know of this, they'll scream! Its a variation and they call it "Aromatherapy" with 3 kinds of cheese, some herbs and a cheese fondue dip with it... Yucks! Where's the tomato?? The healthiest part of the pizza? Oh brother.
Oh how sorry am I that I saw that "pizza" pic before breakfast?! Thanks for nothing, Leslie! ;)
ALthough I'll be mighty surprised if that man girdle actually does what it says it does. How can any piece of fabric tone hips and thighs?? If it really did, wouldn't everyone be wearing it?
I was watching The Biggest Loser last night and the host said America is now officially the fattest nation in the world. Wow. I'm embarrassed.
BUT, it looks like Japan is following in our footsteps. =P
Just read all the archives and love your blog! Here is an interesting article I found that might help explain the "Mirdle."
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/19/style/fslim.php
I love reading about other culture's interpretations of beauty. Especially after living in Africa for two years, where I was actually told "You must enjoy life here because you are so fat!" It makes me laugh. Really shows how much the "ideal" can change depending on where you are!
Stephanie - thanks for that link. I was especially shocked by the quote: "In stark contrast, it's the men who want to be slender, vulnerable and protected. Young males between the ages of 18 and 30 make up the slimmest segment of the population and the ideal fashion weight as decreed by the apparel industry is 57 kilograms, or about 125 pounds, for a height of 175 centimeters, or 5 feet 8 inches. Many men try to adhere to that figure and some claim they want to be even skinnier." The last time I weighed 57 kg, I was in the throes of anorexia. Yikes!
