The survey shows that the obesity rate among Chinese adults is 16.4%, while the combined rate of overweight and obesity among adults has exceeded 50% (meaning that 1 out of every 2 adults is overweight or obese), indicating a serious situation of overweight and obesity in China.
On August 23rd, the “Weight Management Year” event launch meeting was held in Beijing. Experts point out that the issue of overweight and obesity among residents of all age groups is becoming increasingly prominent, leading to an increase in chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and diabetes. Currently, it is necessary to address chronic disease prevention and control through weight management, which acts as a “small entry point” to gradually tackle the “big issue” related to public health.
Overweight and obesity are more common among males than females in China.
In China, obesity is a significantly underestimated chronic disease. On August 17th, the team led by Professor Mu Yiming at the First Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital published a report titled “Prevalence of Obesity and Related Complications in China: A Cross-Sectional Real-World Study of 15.8 Million Adults” in the journal “Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism.” The report illustrates a digital “Chinese Obesity Map,” with data showing that the overall overweight population accounts for 34.8% while the obesity population accounts for 14.1% in China, and overweight and obesity are more common among males than females.
It can be said that the general public has insufficient awareness of the complications of obesity. However, the nation has long recognized that overweight and obesity are risk factors for major diseases such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and cancer. On August 23rd this year, the National Health Commission, together with the Ministry of Education, the General Administration of Sport, and 16 other departments, formulated the “Implementation Plan for the ‘Weight Management Year’ Initiative.” Over the 3-year period of the “Weight Management Year,” a series of measures will be continually implemented to promote weight management – promoting the use of “one scale, one measuring tape, one weight management calendar” (weight scale, waist measuring tape, weight management calendar); assisting overweight and obese students in achieving “one reduction, two increases, one adjustment, two measurements” (reduce food intake, increase physical activity, enhance weight loss confidence, adjust dietary structure, measure weight, measure waist circumference); further promoting traditional Chinese medicine suitable for weight management techniques to provide the population with traditional Chinese constitution identification and guidance services for TCM health… in order to gradually establish a favorable situation for weight management with full participation and benefits for all.
Unhealthy lifestyles cause the body to swell like dough.
How did we become overweight in the first place? This goes back to our lifestyle. Taking Mr. Zeng, who has been working in the gaming industry for a long time, as an example, he was not overweight as a child. The main reason his weight surged from 130 to 210 pounds in his twenties was due to an unhealthy lifestyle.
According to reports, Mr. Zeng has been in the gaming industry for over 20 years, from coding to project management, gradually gaining weight. “For us programmers, staying up late and working overtime are common. Due to intense industry competition, we also face significant psychological stress. So after work, I like to have some barbecue and beer to relax.” Mr. Zeng admitted that late-night snacks, coupled with a sedentary lifestyle, were important factors leading to his obesity.
Many people believe that obesity simply results from eating more and moving less, and weight loss is nothing more than “eating less and moving more.” Research shows that the issue is not that simple, as many factors can contribute to obesity, with genetics being a significant one – 40%-70% of the risk of obesity depends on genetics. Furthermore, psychological and environmental factors can also lead to obesity, such as stress, fatigue, and even one’s living environment affecting appetite and food choices; depression alone increases the risk of obesity by 58%.
Fearing diabetes, Mr. Zeng barely touches chocolate.
Being out of breath after a few steps, having trouble sleeping at night, snoring and breathing pauses, and a host of health problems plagued Mr. Zeng. “When I was playing badminton with my partner, just taking a step forward to hit the ball, I lost my balance and fell, chipping half of my tooth.” This incident made Mr. Zeng determined to lose weight.
“At that time, I weighed 210 pounds, and my blood sugar was high.” Under the guidance of Professor Chen Yanming in the Endocrinology Department at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Mr. Zeng controlled his blood sugar through medication and adjusted his diet by reducing salt, oil, and sugar intake.
After evaluation, Professor Chen Yanming solemnly told Mr. Zeng, “If you don’t control your weight, and things continue like this, you might develop diabetes within two years.” Upon hearing the expert’s warning and considering that his father and grandfather both had diabetes, Mr. Zeng said, “I know the suffering that disease brings.” This prompted him to strictly follow the doctor’s advice.
Mr. Zeng went from 210 to 140 pounds in 8 months.
During an interview with reporters, Mr. Zeng said, “I abstain from sugar and beverages and absolutely dare not touch chocolate.” However, is there really a reason not to enjoy sweetness in life? “If I want to reward myself, I can only eat 50 grams of sugar. I look at the ingredient list, then at the weight, and can only consume a maximum of 50 grams of sugar.”
In reality, many foods we consume already contain sugar, so Mr. Zeng purposefully chooses his food. “I don’t eat refined carbohydrates like white rice and noodles; I only eat staple foods like pumpkin and sweet potatoes, 400-500 grams a day for three meals. I only eat beef and chicken for protein, reducing fat intake. Now that fruits are in season, I only eat grapefruits; I steer clear of high-sugar fruits like apples and bananas.”
Losing 1 pound per week with reasonable goal setting.
In the first three months, Mr. Zeng’s weight dropped rapidly from 210 to 160 pounds but then hit a plateau phase like all weight loss journeys. “Simply controlling my diet made it hard for my weight to keep decreasing, so I added exercise. I wake up at five or six in the morning every day to go jogging, running 5 kilometers in the morning and 4 kilometers in the afternoon. After running, I feel very refreshed, probably due to the release of dopamine, so now I run every day.”
Diet control combined with regular exercise allowed Mr. Zeng to break the plateau, reaching his target weight of 140 pounds.
“When setting weight loss goals, you should proceed within your limits. The speed should not be too fast. Generally, the weight should decrease at a rate of no more than 0.5 kilograms per week, achieving a 5%-10% weight reduction within 3-6 months, or setting reasonable goals under the guidance of professionals for scientific control.” Professor Chen Yanming also stated that aerobic, resistance, and high-intensity interval exercises all contribute to weight control, while moderate to high-intensity exercise aids in weight management.
Mr. Zeng is now confident that his dietary control and regular exercise lifestyle will help him maintain his ideal weight, thereby staying away from the troubles of chronic diseases.
Further reading: Are you overweight? Check the following standards.
1. The body mass index of Chinese adults should be maintained at 18.5≤BMI＜24.0, BMI＜18.5 is underweight, 24.0≤BMI＜28.0 is overweight, and BMI≥28.0 is obese.
2. For adult men, a waist circumference ≥90 cm and for women, a waist circumference ≥85 cm indicate central obesity.
By Reporter Zhang Hua
Image by Visual China
