Walking ten minutes to go home, cleaning the house, dancing or
climbing the stairs every day may help you avoid deadly illnesses
such as hypertension, cancer or diabetes.
Unfortunately, such simple and easy ways to keep fit seem to be
ignored by many Chinese as they become wealthier and resort to more
labor-saving and convenience items in their lifestyles.
Health experts worry that people are spending much more time in
front of the TV and behind the wheel of a car, losing many
opportunities to consume extra energy from high-fat diets, thus
becoming more vulnerable to disease.
Now China's public health authorities have decided to curb the
epidemic by encouraging people to do physical exercise.
Dozens of high school students staged a hip-hop dance show at a
shopping plaza in the heart of Beijing this morning, attracting
many passers-by to join in and keep warm.
It
was part of a campaign organized by national and local departments
of health, education and sports to mark the annual World Health
Day, which falls on Sunday.
Posters and pamphlets with the "Move for Health" slogan of this
year's World Health Day and information on fitness and health were
handed out nationwide.
Ma
Xiaowei, Vice-Minister of Health, said cardiovascular illnesses,
cancers, and diabetes were not only a big threat to the health of
the Chinese people, but also imposed a heavy social and economic
burden on the country.
"Lack of physical activity, tobacco smoking and unbalanced diets
are key risk factors," he said.
The World Health
Organization (WHO) estimated that physical inactivity leads to
more than two million deaths per year around the world.
Moreover, insufficient physical exercise doubles the risk of
cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity, and substantially
increases the risk of high blood pressure, lipid disorders, colon
cancer, osteoporosis, depression and anxiety, said a WHO document
released here.
A
study of Chinese people's habits also showed that nearly 15 percent
of urban adults were overweight, while poor physical constitutions,
high blood pressure, decreased vital capacity, and weakened
functions of the heart were common among people older than 40.
What worries the country's health experts most is poor health among
young people.
Students of the year 2000 were worse than those of 1995 in terms of
physical stamina such as flexibility and endurance, even though
average body weight and height have dramatically improved in the
1995-2000 period, according to a national study.
TV-oriented pop culture, heavy burdens in school study, and lack of
sports facilities are blamed as the main causes of sedentary
lifestyle of young Chinese.
Obesity among students in cities was getting serious, especially
among the 7-12 age group, the study showed.
Chinese Vice-Premier Li Lanqing wrote a letter on Sunday to
youngsters around the country, encouraging them to take part in
physical activities more enthusiastically and to have a "positive
and healthy lifestyle".
(Xinhua News
Agency April 8, 2002)