The Chinese government has introduced a series of new measures against obesity, including specialised clinics in hospitals and Olympic athletes’ testimonials to raise awareness. By 2030, 65 per cent of Chinese adults are at risk of being overweight, with serious consequences for public health and the country's economy.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – China is stepping up efforts to counter the rise in obesity, placing scales in hotel rooms and promoting healthy recipes on social media.

The initiative, launched by the National Health Commission, aims to spread healthier eating habits in a country where more than half of the adult population is overweight or obese.

“The main risk factors for the health of the Chinese people at present come from chronic non-communicable diseases,” said National Health Commission Director Lei Haichao at a news conference in Beijing on 9 March.

“While our living conditions have improved, we have also seen problems such as higher energy intake and relative lack of exercise,” leading to obesity and overweight, Lei added.

To counter the trend, the Commission has enlisted Olympic athletes as testimonials and spread emoticons on WeChat to encourage weight management.

Hotels have placed scales in rooms to encourage a more attentive attitude among business travellers, while the government wants to establish specialised weight management clinics within hospitals.

The weight loss handbook published by the Commission for 2024 offers personalised recipes for different regional culinary traditions, respecting local tastes.

The Global Times, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, reports that the spring menu for northeastern China includes dishes such as stewed fish in a pot and vegetable rolls, highlighting each preparation’s calories.

To back the initiative, the government could make use of the “grid” surveillance system managed by neighbourhood officials, something already used for social and health control.

The problem of being overweight also affects the young. Jennifer Bouey, a researcher and epidemiologist at the RAND Corporation, told Radio Free Asia that the obesity epidemic in China is worrisome.

“Data from 2020 shows that the adult overweight rate in China is 34.3%, and the obesity rate is 16.4%, which taken together exceeds 50%,” Bouey said.

These numbers are in stark contrast to the situation in the 1980s, when only 5-7 per cent of Chinese adults were overweight and 1 per cent were obese.

If the trend continues, 65 per cent of adults will be overweight or obese by 2030, with an economic impact of 418 billion yuan (US$ 57.7 billion) in medical expenses, according to government estimates.

Obesity is associated with a higher rate  of cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, which is already a major problem in the country. “These are all very expensive diseases that have a very big impact on public health,” Bouey said.

For Randall S. Stafford, a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, the problem is common to countries with rapid economic growth.

“Economic development has made possible the over-consumption of calories and other lifestyle changes that promote the development of chronic disease, particularly heart disease and diabetes,” Stafford explained.

What is more, compared to people of European or African descent, East and South Asian populations are more vulnerable to metabolic problems even with relatively low levels of obesity.

“Obesity is particularly problematic in East and South Asia due to genetic differences compared to people of European and African ancestry that induce metabolic problems at lower levels of obesity,” the expert explained.

• china
• obesity
• epidemic
• health costs
• scales
• hotels
• healthy recipes
• campaign
• awareness