CHAPTER . IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AND METHOD
4 School Health and School Lunch Programs
(2) School Health and School Safety
b. Diseases and Other Abnormalities of Pupils
Among the major diseases of pupils, Nice, trachoma, tonsillitis,
and infectious skin disease have all been reduced in recent years, but dental
cavities and near-sightedness are on the increase.
Table 40. Percent of Pupils Suffering Various Diseases
and Abnormalities
Related to the recent rapid changes in living conditions, mental
abnormalities such as autism are also becoming rather prevalent among pupils.
The survey conducted in 1968 by the Ministry of Education also reveals that 2.1%
of third grade elementary school pupils, 3.5% of six graders. 2.6% of first grade
lower secondary school pupils and 2.S% of third grade lower secondary school
pupils are estimated to be overweight. The incidence of corpulence is higher
for lower secondary school pupils than for elementary school pupils, and does
not differ according to age for boys. For girls, however, incidence tends to
be higher for older pupils, and, in general, is higher than for boys at all ages.
In the light of the high incidence of diseases and corpulence among elementary
and lower secondary school pupils, it is necessary to re-examine the items to
be checked in the school medical examinations.
4 (2) b
. IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AND METHOD