HONG KONG – More than half of China’s adult population is either obese or obese, according to a new government report released Wednesday.
Obesity levels in China have doubled within two decades, and health authorities are warning of an increase in breast diseases such as diabetes, hemorrhage and cancer.
A new government report found that 34.3% of adults were obese and 16.4% obese. (The study showed a group of 600,000 Chinese residents between 2015 and 2019.) In comparison, 30% of Chinese adults were obese and 11.9% obese in 2012, according to a government study published in 2015 .
“Residents’ unhealthy lifestyles are still prevalent everywhere,” Li Bin, deputy director of the National Health Commission of China, said at a news conference Wednesday. Most households use salt and oil in amounts that exceed the recommended guidelines, he said, and more and more people are turning to processed foods and home-cooked foods. irritating food.
In the past, Chinese health initiatives have focused on exercise rather than cutting back on junk food and soda, partly due to the impact of the Coca-Cola lobby on obesity-related research and regulations. will be.
But on Wednesday, Li cited sugary sweet drinks as one of the causes of childhood obesity. “Frequent consumption of sugary drinks by children and teenagers is a major problem,” he said. According to the latest data, 19% of children ages 6 to 17 are obese or obese.
Li said officials would take steps to stop the spike in obesity and breast disease with a new campaign called “Healthy China 2030.” Zhao Wenhua, chief nutritionist at China’s Disease Control Center, said officials would encourage manufacturers to make snacks and drinks that are low in fat and sugar.
A draft law seeking to eliminate food waste was submitted to the country’s main legislative body for review Tuesday, the state-run China News Service said. The provisions include punishing social media influencers who make money by posting videos of themselves eating too much food online with a fine of up to $ 15,300 , and urging restaurants to offer a variety of portion sizes.
President Xi Jinping launched a high-profile campaign against food waste in the summer, seeking to eradicate the deep practice of ordering too many dishes in restaurants as a testament to wealth and generosity. Although officials said there was no imminent food shortage, the “clean plate” campaign was launched after severe flooding destroyed farming communities and a gradual rise in food prices.
While Chinese authorities often cite the government’s success in reducing hunger over the past three decades, according to the World Food Program, nearly 151 million Chinese people are still starving. suffering from malnutrition. China’s rapid development, however, is largely dependent on a global movement, in which obesity and related diseases are now killing more people than malnutrition.
Obesity statistics in China are part of a global pattern. Obesity among American adults has risen 12.4% over the past 18 years, with 42.4% of adults in the United States now living with the condition. Obesity has nearly tripled worldwide since 1975, according to the World Health Organization.
Obesity has also emerged as a major indicator of the severity of coronavirus symptoms in patients with both diseases. A recent study from China that examined a group of 112 COVID-19 patients, of the 17 patients who died, 15 were either obese or obese.
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