A boy does sit-up exercises. (Photo/China News Service)
Beijing (ECNS) -- Obesity in China bears regional differences, according to a new study.
An obesity index released Wednesday shows that people in the north are heavier than their peers in the south, with northeasterners weighing the most.
According to the study, the average BMI (Body Mass Index) of people in the north is 35 percent, while that of people in the south is 27 percent.
All three provinces with the highest BMIs are northern ones, namely Hebei, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang Autonomous Region.
Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces have the lowest BMIs, and are all located in the south.
Wang Jingzhong, a researcher at the Center of Disease Control Nutrition and Health Institute, said the regional differences have to do with local diets and climates.
"People in the north tend to eat food with more gluten and higher calories. They also love drinking more than southern people do," Wang said.
Urbanization is also fueling a lifestyle that breeds obesity, as people in cities sit more in offices, rely on cars, and have more access to gourmet food.
