In the past decade, rapid social and economic development has resulted in changes in the dietary patterns, lifestyles and disease patterns of the Chinese population. To better understand those changes, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Bureau of Statistics jointly conducted a comprehensive nationwide survey on nutrition and health. An analysis of the survey results was released on Tuesday.

China is still facing the dual challenges of nutritional deficiency and imbalance even though great progress has been made in recent years. From 1992 to 2002, diet and nutrition among both the urban and rural populations improved significantly. However, several serious problems remain and some new ones have arisen.

The survey was conducted throughout the mainland from August to December 2002, and included 272,023 people. A total of 71,971 households, 24,034 urban and 47,937 rural, were chosen as samples from 132 counties.

Although national surveys on nutrition were conducted in 1959, 1982 and 1992, this was China's first comprehensive survey on nutrition and health, said Kong Lingzhi, director of the Ministry of Health's Non-communicable Diseases Division.

The survey indicated that total calorie and protein intake of urban and rural populations is basically satisfactory, with consumption of meat, poultry, eggs and other animal products increasing significantly. For rural residents, the proportion of high-quality protein of total protein intake rose from 17 to 31 percent.

Juvenile growth improved steadily during the decade from 1992 to 2002. The average weight of newborns reached 3,309 grams, and low birth weight babies (below 2,500 grams) accounted for only 3.6 per cent of total live births, which brings China in line with developed countries.

Juveniles between the ages of three and 18 in urban and rural areas average 3.3 cm taller than their counterparts a decade ago. However, rural males are on average 4.9 cm shorter and females 4.2 cm shorter.

Childhood malnutrition has dropped sharply, with overall growth retardation in children under the age of five improving some 55 percent from the 1992 rate.

Nevertheless, poor nutrition and health problems remain serious.

By 2002, urban residents' energy contribution from fat  had reached 35 percent, exceeding the upper limit of 30 percent recommended by the World Health Organization. Only 47 percent of city dwellers' calories come from cereals, substantially below the recommended range of 55 to 65 percent.

Prevalence of growth retardation and low body weight among rural children under the age of five as a whole remained more prevalent than for their city cousins, standing at 17.3 and 9.3 percent respectively.

In poverty-stricken rural areas, the figures worsen dramatically, with 29.3 percent of kids showing growth retardation and 14.4 percent low body weights.

Meanwhile, noninfectious diseases such as hypertension are on the rise.

Some 18.8 percent of people over the age of 18 -- approximately 160 million -- suffer from hypertension, a rise of 31 percent from 1992. The increase has been particularly strong in rural areas, virtually eliminating any difference between city and countryside in this regard.

Only 24.7 percent of the patients get necessary medical treatment.

Diabetes appears in 2.6 percent of Chinese over the age of 18, largely in urban residents.

Some 22.8 percent of Chinese adults are overweight and 7.1 percent morbidly obese. In cities, those figures rise to 30 and 12.3 percent, respectively. Childhood obesity has reached 8.1 percent.

The number of overweight adults jumped 39 percent and of obese adults as much as 97 percent from the survey a decade earlier.

High caloric intake, high fat and salt content in the diet, alcohol consumption and low physical activity are closely related to the occurrence of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and rising blood cholesterol levels.

To improve the situation, the government intends to implement laws and regulations concerning nutrition, such as requiring certification of nutritionists and nutritional content of foods.

A national guideline should also be made available to provide authoritative information so the public can choose food and do physical exercise scientifically and properly, said Kong.

China will also enhance guidance in agriculture and food production, distribution and marketing to help improve people's nutrition and health.

Governments at all levels are also called to strengthen public education, and advocate a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

(China Daily October 12, 2004)