Fight the fat, survey warning to local adults

Up to 28.7 percent of adults in Shanghai are overweight and 6 percent suffer obesity, according to a city government health survey, results of which were unveiled yesterday.

The survey indicated that many local residents still have scant knowledge about the health hazards resulting from being overweight, said the Shanghai Health Promotion Committee, which conducted the survey.

"There's an urgent need for more health education campaigns so that more locals can begin work on weight control measures," Li Guangyao, the committee's deputy director, said.

About 45 percent of adult residents in the city don't pay any attention to maintaining a healthy weight, according to the survey covering about 8,600 locals aged above 18, including 43.5 percent males and 56.5 percent females.

The survey also found that grown-ups are not much inclined toward sporting activities and the younger they are, the less they exercise!

The survey revealed that an average adult in Shanghai spends 3.9 hours per day sitting tight without indulging in any big movement. And the biggest group of people reported that their sitting hours ranged from 3.3 to 5 hours every day. Not surprisingly, the elderly and senior residents are more active compared to their younger counterparts in terms of their obviously shorter daily sitting hours.

The survey concluded that the city's younger adults generally exercise much less while spending more time sitting inside their offices, in front of computers or resting on their home couches.

"I barely have any energy left by the time I return home from work," said Li Ruonan, a young office worker.

"Sometimes I feel too tired to even take out the garbage bag. Often, I only wish to throw myself into bed without moving. And I also eat snacks in bed late into the night."

She is aware that such a sedentary lifestyle is unhealthy but still couldn't afford more exercise as she already gets too tired after work.

Li is part of a huge group that makes do with minimal daily exercise. The survey showed that compared to a year earlier, nearly 70 percent of respondents said they had retained or reduced the time spent daily on healthy activities, such as long-distance walking, jogging and exercising in gyms.

Residents should pay close attention to improving their lifestyle and exercising more, especially the young to middle-aged working group, the local health authority suggested.

"Up to 85 percent of deaths are caused by chronic diseases. But a healthier lifestyle can effectively reduce the chances of contracting such diseases," Li said.