Beijingers have become more aware of the factors that contribute to healthy living in the run-up to the Olympic Games, a survey over three years has shown.

The survey results, released on Saturday at the Olympic Scientific Congress in the southern China city of Guangzhou, had been conducted on 1,765 people aged 15 or over from 600 families living near the 1990 Asian Games village,the Guangzhou Daily newspaper reported on Sunday.

Chen Bowen, director of child health and development at the Capital Institute of Pediatrics, said his survey asked the same respondents of what they considered healthy and unhealthy habits from 2004 to 2006.

He found they showed a better understanding of healthy lifestyles and habits in comparison with 2004.

At the start of the study, 67 percent agreed that "not smoking" was healthy, 90 percent agreed with a "low-salt diet", 82 percent a "balanced diet" and 83 percent agreed "regular physical exercise" was healthy.

In 2006, these figures had risen to 76 percent, 95 percent, 92 percent and 91 percent, respectively.

The survey also showed more people took regular physical exercise and some took exercise more frequently. Their satisfaction with sports facilities had also increased.

Chen said the survey also found out some new community health centers had been set up around the village, which was also home to several Olympic venues, and that these had begun to provide services, such as family visits, which large hospitals were often unable to offer.

"Hosting the Olympics gives an impetus to the development of community medical services in the area around the Asian Games village and beyond," Chen said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2008)