Over half of Chinese adults obese or overweight

More than half of adult Chinese residents are obese or overweight, owing to unhealthy diets and static lifestyles, according to a report released by the National Health Commission on Wednesday.

About 34.3 percent of Chinese aged 18 and older are overweight, and 16.4 percent of people in the same age group are obese, according to the report that studied the nutritional condition and chronic diseases of Chinese people from 2015 to 2019.

Among youngsters aged 6 to 17, about 11 percent are overweight and nearly 8 percent are obese, the report said.

More than 10 percent of children younger than 6 are either obese or overweight, it added.

"The rates of obesity and being overweight in China have been climbing fast, and the overall prevalence is high. Bulging waistlines are affecting the entire population and have brought enormous challenges to the country," said Zhao Wenhua, chief nutritionist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Excess intake of foods high in sugar and oil, as well as insufficient consumption of vegetables, fruits and soybean products are blamed for the rising weight of Chinese people, she said.

In recent years, Chinese people are also living a more sedentary lifestyle due to the increasingly convenient transportation system and the widespread use of electronic devices, according to Zhao.

However, Zhao said the mounting burden of disease can be effectively contained if concerted efforts are devoted to changing these popular unhealthy habits.

Food manufacturers are encouraged to provide more nutritious food, and more fitness infrastructure should be built and open to the public.

Health advocacy campaigns should also be rolled out to guide the public to adopt healthier eating habits and to work out more frequently.