In May of this year, a set of data released by the 10th China Obesity Prevention and Control Science Conference showed that currently, about 19% of adolescents aged 6 to 17 and about 10.4% of children under 6 are overweight and obese.
Shen Hongbing, an academician of the CAE Member and director of the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, introduced at the meeting that obesity is an important risk factor for diabetes, tumors, bone and joint diseases and other chronic diseases. Compared with people who maintain healthy and normal weight, the risk of cardiovascular events in overweight and obese people increased by 122%.
Wei Lanxiang, Deputy Chief Physician of the Endocrinology Department at Xiyuan Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, told Zhongxin Health that obesity is mostly caused by excessive dietary intake, irregular lifestyle, or changes in the body's endocrine system caused by diseases. This group of people often have diseases such as hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, menstrual abnormalities, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, gout, and fatty liver.
Wei Lanxiang mentioned that if a person eats less, exercises more, and does not lose weight for two or three consecutive months, it is recommended to go to the hospital for examination.
Overweight individuals can return to health through weight management
It is reported that the "Weight Management Year" activity focuses on five key groups, including students, infants and preschool children, occupational groups, pregnant and postpartum women, and the elderly, and proposes a series of weight management plans.
The National Health Commission and the All China Women's Federation will guide various regions to provide corresponding health services for children aged 0 to 6 in urban and rural areas free of charge in accordance with regulations, strengthen scientific parenting consultation and guidance services, strengthen physical growth monitoring, nutrition and feeding guidance, and exercise guidance, and prevent and reduce children's overweight and obesity. The National Health Commission will also promote the application of pregnancy weight gain standards and maternal nutrition and health service guidelines, promote the construction of maternal nutrition clinics, and reduce intergenerational transmission of obesity.
The National Health Commission, Ministry of Education and other departments will take the lead in carrying out the Action Plan for Creating Healthy Schools, equipping school health professionals and technical personnel, strengthening the weight management ability of school medical rooms, and carrying out health care work such as reasonable diet, active exercise, and psychological intervention for children and adolescents. Universities will also carry out fitness activities for college students, incorporating health education content such as reasonable diet, weight management, and scientific childbirth into elective courses.
In addition, grassroots medical and health institutions should fully leverage the health guidance role of family doctors, guide elderly people to choose appropriate meals, exercise appropriately, maintain appropriate weight, regularly measure indicators such as weight, height, waist circumference, and basic motor function, and carry out comprehensive intervention guidance for weight management.
Zhao Wenhua, a researcher from the Institute of Nutrition and Health of the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that most overweight people, especially young people, are energy surplus obese, and can return to healthy weight through weight management to gain health benefits.
There is no shortcut to weight loss, experts advocate for fragmented sports activities
Zhongxin Health has noticed that in recent years, there has been a rising demand for weight loss, and industry chain enterprises have increased their layout. For example, Novo Nordisk announced that its weight loss indication drug, Megglutide, has been approved for market in China, and other domestic pharmaceutical companies have actively invested in the research and production of similar drugs. Investment institutions estimate that by 2030, the global weight loss drug market will soar to $100 billion (approximately RMB 720 billion).
Experts point out that the occurrence of obesity involves complex mechanisms, including genetic factors, the influence of other metabolic diseases, and environmental factors in modern society. Therefore, weight loss is also a scientific and systematic project. Overweight individuals should not only rely on weight loss drugs to achieve treatment goals, but also actively seek a healthy lifestyle and treat underlying diseases.
Nature Portfolio, a subsidiary of Nature magazine, recently published an article, which found that compared with not exercising at ordinary times, 450 minutes of brisk walking per week is related to living for 4.5 years more. Regular exercise can strengthen the immune system and prevent chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. However, 25% of adults worldwide do not meet the recommended weekly exercise levels recommended by the World Health Organization: 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise (such as brisk walking) or 75-150 minutes of high-intensity exercise (such as running).
For the current fast-paced work, study, and life situation, Xu Jianfang, director of the National Physical Fitness and Scientific Fitness Research Center at the Sports Science Research Institute of the General Administration of Sport of China, advocates for the integration and fragmentation of sports into daily life. He said that exercising for less than 10 minutes every day is effective in reducing fat. For example, walking more to and from work, climbing stairs with good knee and ankle joints, and engaging in short-term exercises such as simple stretching in the office.
