Top News

Tour launched to promote fitness

By Chen Xiangfeng (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-05-14 07:29

BEIJING - China is boosting its effort to get more people involved in sports with the enhancement of one of its nationwide fitness campaigns.

The 2011 National Fitness Tour will ask star athletes, coaches and fitness instructors to act as volunteers and go into communities and universities to promote physical fitness.

The tour, which is supported by State General Administration of Sport (SGAS) and domestic sportswear company Xidelong, was initiated in 2009 and visited 358 communities in 35 cities that year. Last year, the tour went to 103 universities in 22 cities.

"The public's demand for daily fitness regimens has been increasing so fast in recent years and the SGAS is working hard to develop the sports and fitness industry," said Feng Jianzhong, vice-minister of the SGAS. "Playing sports is not just about winning gold and glory for the country. It's more about keeping healthy and feeling happy.

"Our professional athletes have won lots of gold medals and have helped enhance China's image on the international stage. But it's not enough, we need everyone of us, including companies, to support sports development."

Fujian-based company Xidelong has joined the tour as an official partner and will provide financial support and equipment during the campaign.

The tour is just part of the latest effort by China to boost health awareness, through sport after the National Fitness Program 2011-2015 was released in February.

According to the plan, 32 percent of the population should be taking at least 30 minutes of exercise three times a week by 2015. That target is 3.8 percent higher than the number of people who were exercising in 2007.

In order to provide more opportunities to workout, the number of gymnasiums and stadiums nationwide is set to rise to 1.2 million from today's 1 million.

The nation also plans to increase its inventory of stadium space from a current 1.03 square meters per person to 1.5 sq m during the next five years.

"The central government has set up regulations and has the determination to put these into effect," said Feng. "The next step is that our local governments and ordinary people should be aware of the importance of doing sports regularly and working together to realize the target."

As a rising sporting powerhouse, China has had a good deal of success in competitive sports and won more gold medals than any other country at the 2008 Olympic Games with a tally of 51.

But, compared to developed countries, China still has a way to go in terms of people's daily habits in sports - and keeping healthy through sports.

In addition to unveiling a series of national fitness programs, Aug 8 has been dubbed National Fitness Day.

China Daily

(China Daily 05/14/2011 page15)