Chronic disease on rise in China: health survey

Source: Xinhua

By Feng Hui

Updated: 2015-07-08

BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The number of people suffering from chronic disease in China rose during the 2002-2012 period, according to a nationwide health survey released by the country's health authorities on Tuesday.

The "2015 report on Chinese nutrition and chronic disease" was released by the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) at a press conference.

According to the report, hypertension prevalence among Chinese adults was 25.2 percent, and diabetes was 9.7 percent, both higher than 2002 levels.

The incidence rate of cancer was 235 out of 100,000 people in 2013, according to the national tumor registration, also on the rise, the report said, without mentioning previous data.

Moreover, 533 out of every 100,000 Chinese residents died from chronic disease in 2012, accounting for 86.6 percent of all deaths, with cardia-cerebrovascular disease, cancer and chronic respiratory disease the top causes.

Lung cancer is the most frequently-occurring cancer among Chinese men, and breast cancer among women, the report said.

Longer life expectancy and an aging population prompted a rise in chronic disease, the report said.

It said smoking, overdrinking, insufficient physical exercise and unhealthy diet featuring excessive salt and fat are triggers of chronic diseases.

"Body movement for the average Chinese is at a low level," the report said, finding only 18.7 percent of those between 20 and 69 regularly exercise (at least three times a week, 30 minutes per time) in 2013.

It took researchers one and a half years to finish the report, which was based on latest data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Center and other institutes.

China had its first public nutrition and health survey in 2002, with results announced in 2004. Since 2004, the nation has carried out field surveys every three years to collect data on causes of death, chronic disease and other health issues.