Sustainability

Interviews about our initiatives
for children and students


Teaching students what they can do to prevent heat disorders

Sales Promotion,
Sales Section 2,
Chiba Branch office
Nutraceuticals Division

Hiroaki Yamazaki

This year we mainly focused on teaching students what they could do themselves to prevent heat disorders.

To make sure that we keep the students' attention during presentations, we use quizzes that require the students to participate, and alternate between relaxed delivery of content and moments of high energy. Our goal is to make sure that the children understand that heat disorders have a serious effect on their bodies and can even be a matter of life and death.

When first asked to give a presentation, we talk to the class teacher about the distinctive characteristics of the particular school. We use this information to create a seminar that addresses the subjects and topics that the students are most interested in and familiar with. At schools with strong sports programs, for example, we talk with the students about how they must be properly hydrated to reach peak performance, no matter how much they've trained to get better at their chosen sport. We emphasize the point, saying, "What a waste it would be to train that hard but then not be your best!" Using examples from other schools, we start our talk with specific, easy ways that students can stay hydrated. I was very serious about basketball from third grade all the way through high school, so I guess I'm pretty good at finding topics that resonate with student athletes who are serious about sports.

Of course, we work to get the students interested in the seminar by talking about subjects other than sports, as well. We talk a lot about heat disorders that can occur indoors, the importance of breakfast, and eating nutritionally balanced meals.

Following that, we share how heat disorders work and what causes them. We ask the students, "Have you ever felt dizzy or light-headed, had a headache or foot cramps?" Some students inevitably raise their hands, and then we segue into, "These four symptoms are those of a heat disorder, so now you see how many people actually experience this!" This message grabs the students' attention and drives home the point that heat disorders are an ever-present danger that could affect any one of them.

Once the students understand what causes heat disorders and the mechanism behind them, we talk about what they can do about it - what drinks are good for hydration, when and how much to hydrate, and weighing yourself before and after sports practice to calculate how much you have sweated. We also talk about the importance of recognizing the four symptoms of heat disorder early on, not only in their own bodies, but also in their friends and teammates, and we emphasize how important it is to alert someone when this is happening.

We hope that by focusing on important topics that are part of their day-to-day lives, we can impart a proper understanding of heat disorders and the ways to prevent it. In this way, we aim to make students glad that they took part in the Heat Disorder Prevention Seminar and hope they will use these techniques to become even better athletes.


Initiatives on the sports field

Former Japanese national basketball team player, main instructor at D-EQUIPO Basketball Academy, ZON Co., Ltd.

Kunio Komiya

Our D-EQUIPO Basketball Academy for elementary and junior high school students is held in eight locations throughout Japan to teach basic techniques to budding athletes and train the next generation of Japanese all-star basketball players. With Otsuka Pharmaceutical's support, we now include a lecture entitled "Preventing Heat Disorders: Hydration in the Summer" at the opening ceremony or before training in each of our D-EQUIPO Academy sessions. This advice from experts not only educates children, but is a great help to parents, guardians, and instructors as well.

Although I have been in the habit of drinking Otsuka Pharmaceutical beverages ever since I began competing professionally on the court, the fact is that I did not know much about heat disorders back then. At Otsuka Pharmaceutical's Heat Disorders Prevention Seminar, I learned why heat disorders occur, as well as prevention and treatment methods. I am excited to pass this knowledge on to the children at the academy.

I came away from the seminar with a keen understanding that the sports instructor's role is not just to improve a student's technique and strength of mind. Our job is also to protect the lives and health of our students. As we work at the academy to nurture the athletes who aim to be the best in Japan, I am committed to working to eliminate heat disorders as I help them achieve their best and impress upon them the importance of preventing injury.