Some 12% of Chinese children overweight

Overweighted children take exercise at a school. (Photo/Xinhua)

(ECNS) -- Twelve percent of children across China are overweight according to an expert from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), infzm.com reported on Tuesday. 

Zhang Yongjian, head of the Research Center for Development & Regulation of the Food and Drug Industry, explained that some Chinese children suffer from excess weight problems because of unhealthy lifestyles. 

According to Barry Popkin, director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Obesity at the University of North Carolina, there are two main reasons for adolescents being overweight or obese in China: a lack of exercise and overconsumption of unhealthy foods, including sugared beverages and snacks. 

Besides obesity, an increasing number of teenagers are experiencing health concerns such as diabetes and shortsightedness, which is a huge concern in China.