Re: Question about Retired rikishi's diet

["Stewart Nelson" <sn@scgroup.com>]

Hi All,

A while ago, I read an interesting report about such a study.
Unfortunately, I don't remember the source.

The raw data showed a life expectancy about 5 years less than that
of the average Japanese male.  However, there were a couple of
anomalies.  Several died quite young from hepatitis complications
(not surprising), and several died from fugu poisoning (bizarre -
is fugu a common ingredient in chanko? and do untrained rikishi
prepare it?)

When those cases were removed, the data indicated that rikishi might
live *longer* than average, although the difference was not significant.
Perhaps this is a result of a continuing attention to physical fitness.

On a related subject, a brief in Scientific American mentioned that
there are forty times as many centenarians (per capita) among Okinawa
natives as among the Japanese in general!  Wow!  Has this been reported
elsewhere?  Is it known if the cause is genetic, diet, or something in
the environment?

--Stewart

> Hi All!
> When the guys retire, do they go on a special diet to reduce weight? Is
> it an individual thing, I mean no system - each man for himself? And the
> ultimate question: Is their life expectancy the same as "normal"
> people's? I've been asked this by someone who is doing a project from
> the diet-health point of view, and I'm looking for  any qualified
> answer..
> Thanks
> Moti
>