Shanghainese are timid when it comes to scuba diving, according to a national survey by the China Diving Community.

The recreational sport is considered "dangerous and too challenging" by more than 70 percent of Shanghai-based respondents. Less than 50 percent of respondents held the same view in the other cities.

The survey was based on a total of 1,500 responses from people in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Haikou in Hainan Province. Six hundred respondents were from Shanghai.

Jia Juan, spokeswoman of China Dive Expo, said: "Diving is not that dangerous if you are properly trained and certified."

According to the American Family Physician's Website, about 90 diving deaths are reported around the world each year.

Shanghai will host China Dive Expo 2006 from September 22 to 24 at the Shanghai East Asia Exhibition Hall.

(Shanghai Daily July 7, 2006)