Unbalanced diets, lack of exercise hamper health of students, experts say

Nutritional experts are urging Chinese youth to eat healthier foods and exercise more, citing a recent survey that found unbalanced diets had been hampering student health.

More than 30 percent of students in Beijing's primary and secondary schools don't eat enough cereal, potatoes and vegetables, and they consume an excessive amount of fat, salt and sweets, the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control said on Wednesday.

The health and diet survey, which examined more than 14,000 students from 80 primary and middle schools in Beijing from April to May, found that a lack of exercise and unbalanced diets had contributed to a decline in student fitness, the center reported.