世論 What Japan Thinks

Having done alcohol consumption earlier in the week, today I take a look at a survey from DIMSDRIVE Research into temperature of drinking water, etc, with a faddy diet as a bonus!

Demographics

Between the 6th and 8th of November 2009 9,947 members of the DIMSDRIVE monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 55.9% of the sample were male, 0.6% in their teens, 8.4% in their twenties, 27.6% in their thirties, 32.7% in their forties, 19.0% in their fifties, and 11.7% aged sixty or older.

The fad diet is the Sayu diet, 白湯 in kanji, the drinking of water at between 40°C and 50°C. Looking at the answers below, it appears it should raise one’s metabolism and burn more fat for the same food intake. Who knows if it works or not, although I would guess that the answer would be no, it doesn’t!

Research results

Q1: Usually, which of the following ways do you try to look after your body with regards health, beauty, etc? (Sample size=9,947, multiple answer)

Get lots of sleep	52.2%
Try to eat a balanced diet	44.1%
Try to drink lots of water	40.7%
Try to lead a regular lifestyle pattern	38.7%
Take appropriate exercise	34.2%
Try not to build up stress	31.2%
Take nutritional supplements	24.5%
Try not to chill my body	15.2%
Take waist-deep baths, sweat, etc, to stimulate my metabolism	9.2%
Other	0.7%
Nothing in particular	13.9%

Q2: Which of the following apply to you? (Sample size=9,947, multiple answer)

Lack of exercise	61.0%
Feel need to lose weight	31.0%
Lack of sleep	29.9%
Chilled extermities	29.4%
Metabolism, circulation is poor	21.0%
Constipated	20.8%
Water retention, swelling occurs easily	16.8%
Rough skin	15.6%
Low blood pressure	14.4%
Currently on weight-loss diet	11.9%
None of the above	13.5%
Don’t want to answer	0.9%

For chilled extermities, 12.3% of men but 51.1% of women reported it, with the younger age bands more likely to suffer from it. For poor metabolism or circulation, just 8.5% of men but 36.8% of women reported it, but there was almost no age-based trend.

Q3: What is your preferred temperature for drinking each of the following liquids? (Sample size=9,947)

	Water	Tea	Coffee	Milk
0°C to 10°C	57.0%	19.5%	13.6%	63.1%
20°C to 30°C	27.0%	11.5%	4.7%	12.7%
40°C to 50°C	6.8%	19.3%	15.4%	5.2%
60°C to 70°C	2.5%	21.2%	20.4%	4.0%
80°C to 90°C	2.4%	23.9%	32.2%	2.1%
Over 90°C	0.0%	3.1%	6.9%	0.2%
Don’t drink at all	4.3%	1.5%	6.8%	12.7%

Men preferred colder water, and those who suffered from chills preferred warmer water.

Q4: By season, at what temperature do you drink water? (Sample size=9,521, water drinkers)

	Summer July, Aug	Autumn Sept, Oct	Winter Nov – Feb
0°C to 10°C	80.1%	51.6%	37.4%
20°C to 30°C	15.6%	36.9%	38.0%
40°C to 50°C	1.9%	5.2%	10.4%
60°C to 70°C	0.8%	1.4%	4.2%
80°C to 90°C	0.8%	2.1%	5.3%
Over 90°C	0.0%	0.0%	0.8%
Don’t drink water during that season	0.8%	1.9%	3.9%

Q5: Why do you choose to drink lukewarm water? (Sample size=2,682, 20°C to 30°C water drinkers, multiple answer)

In order not to cool my body	48.9%
May be least worst for body	35.5%
May be best to have something close to body temperature	30.8%
Don’t like drinking cold water	11.3%
May be good for metabolism	10.7%
May be easy to absorb	10.7%
May be good for the bowels	6.2%
Avoids water retention swelling	1.9%
Other	3.8%
Just because, no particular reason	23.9%

Q6: Why do you choose to drink 40°C to 50°C water? (Sample size=676, 40°C to 50°C water drinkers, multiple answer)

Warms the body	47.0%
May be good for body	37.4%
May be least worst for body	33.4%
May be good for metabolism	26.3%
May be easy to absorb	14.9%
Don’t like drinking cold water	12.9%
May be good for the bowels	12.0%
Avoids water retention swelling	2.5%
Other	2.5%
Just because, no particular reason	16.3%

Q7: How do you prepare your 40°C to 50°C water? (Sample size=676, 40°C to 50°C water drinkers, multiple answer)

Boil a pan, kettle and let it cool	41.7%
Heat a pan, kettle to before boiling and let it cool	8.4%
Heat a pan, kettle to just the right temperature	8.3%
Boil an electric kettle, pot and let it cool	35.2%
Use hot water from a thermos flask	3.8%
Heat in the microwave	17.0%
Other	2.7%
Don’t know	4.7%

Q8: What problems, inconveniences do you have when you prepare your 40°C to 50°C water? (Sample size=676, 40°C to 50°C water drinkers, multiple answer)

Can’t prepare it just when I want to drink it	27.4%
Difficult to get to the right temperature	24.7%
Often let it cool off too much	18.0%
Soon cools off	17.9%
Often overheat it	17.2%
Bothersome if I just want a little	12.9%
Don’t know the best way to prepare it	2.8%
Other	0.4%
Nothing in particular	30.5%

Q9: Do you know the “Sayu Diet”? (Sample size=9,947)

Currently on such a diet	1.4%
Used to be on such a diet	2.7%
Heard of it, but not tried it	15.4%
Not heard of it	80.5%

Women were much more likely to have heard of it than men – about 10% to 20% of men versus 20% to 33% of women, with younger people more likely to have heard of it.

Q10: Would you like to try the “Sayu Diet”? (Sample size=9,947)

Definitely	16.3%
Perhaps	25.6%
Can’t say either way	24.1%
Perhaps not	15.7%
Not at all	18.3%

About twice as many women as men were willing to give it a go.