Heavy burden for parents

The rates of adult obesity both globally and in China are on the rise, with current figures from the World Health Organization (WHO) estimating more than 1 billion overweight, and 300 million obese, people worldwide.

A study in the journal Health Affairs, released in July this year, put China's rate of obesity and overweight at 25 percent of the population with this figure set to double by 2028 unless drastic action is taken.

Even more concerning is the rate at which childhood obesity is increasing. Figures from the China national surveys on the constitution and health of schoolchildren showed the prevalence of obesity among children aged 7 to 18 had increased four times in the 15 years between 1985 and 2000, while figures for the number of overweight children in the same age range and time period had increased 28 times over.