This Day, That Year

Item from May 18, 1992, in China Daily: Dental checks aren't most children's idea of a laugh but this is what lay in store for youngsters visiting Children's Fun City '92, which opened yesterday at the Asian Games Village, in north Beijing ... A recent national survey on students' health found that the general health of students greatly improved in the past five years. But it also showed that the incidence rates of some common ailments, such as near-sight and malnutrition, are still high.

Five State departments jointly called for immediate action to further improve the health of all students. The nationwide strategy is expected to be implemented through the expansion of physical education and sports training ... and through improved living and studying environments.

Amid rapid economic development, the fitness levels of many young Chinese have declined, with health specialists pointing to increasingly heavy academic burdens and sedentary lifestyles as some of the reasons behind the worrying trend.