Background:Obesity, physical inactivity and reduced physical fitness may contribute to the rising burden of chronic diseases in China. We investigated these factors in China over a 14-year period using data from the randomized national surveys in 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2014. Methods:We conducted four national surveys among 151,656, 163,386, 154,931and 146,703 Chinese adults aged 20-59 in 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2014, respectively. Body mass index (BMI, kg/m 2 ) was used to evaluate underweight (BMI<18·5), overweight (BMI 23·0-27·5) and obesity (BMI≥27·5). Central obesity was defined as waist circumference >90 cm in men and >85 cm in women. Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) was evaluated by whether or not the participants had completed the recommended minimum 150-min moderate or 75-min vigorous exercise per week. Indices for assessing physical fitness included forced vital capacity, resting heart rate, handgrip strength, sit and reach, and standing on one leg. Findings:The prevalence of obesity increased from 8·6% in 2000, 10·3% in 2005, and 12·2% in 2010 to 12·9% in 2014 (0·32% per year). Comparable estimates were 37·4%, 39·2%, 40·7% and 41·2% for overweight and 13·9%, 18·3%, 22·1% and 24·9% for central obesity. The corresponding upward trends per year were 0·27% and 0·78%, respectively. The prevalence of overweight, obesity and central obesity increased with age and was higher in men than women.. A simultaneous decrease was observed in the prevalence of underweight (5·4% in 2000 versus 4·6% in 2014, a downward trend of 0·06% per year). More participants met the minimum LTPA recommendation (17·2% in 2000 versus 22·8% in 2014), with the prevalence change per year being 0·33%, 0·50%, 0·37%, 0·06% for underweight, normal-weight, overweight, and obesity, respectively. Physical fitness deterioration was observed for all measures examined except resting heart rate. Interpretation:Despite increased participation in LTPA, we observed an upward trend in overweight/obesity and a decline in physical fitness in Chinese adults. Continued nationwide interventions are needed for promoting physical activity and other healthy lifestyles in China. Funding:National Physical Fitness Surveillance Center, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China. Introduction In recent decades, China has witnessed a rapid rise in the burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Despite differences in sampling methods and 3 diagnostic criteria, the estimated prevalence grew from 9.7% to 11.6% for type 2 diabetes, and from 15.5% to 50.1% for pre-diabetes between 2008 and 2010. 1 These diseases accounted for an estimated 80% of deaths and 70% of total disease burden in China. 2 While aging of the population is an important contributing factor, such health consequences are also likely attributed to the drastic changes in lifestyles following China's economic boom that result in obesity and physical inactivity. 3 These two factors, despite their strong correlation, have been independently linked to increased risk of ...

Previous health studies have focused on the correlation between socioeconomic status (SES) and health. We pooled data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (N = 9765) conducted in 2011, and examined the association of SES and health-related behavior with elderly health in China. The cumulative health disadvantage of the elderly caused by SES can be relieved by lifelong health-related behavior. In the same SES, the odds of self-rated health (SRH) as “good,” mini-mental state examination (MMSE) as “not impaired,” and activities of daily living (ADLs) as “not impaired” among the elderly who exercised regularly, were 46.9%, 28.6%, and 62.3% lower for the elderly who rarely exercised. The elderly who started doing regular exercise from 30 years old, achieved higher SRH, ADL, and MMSE scores to some extent. The health improvement advantage for the elderly who started doing regular exercises after 60 years old, was reduced. However, the odds of SRH as “good,” MMSE as “not impaired,” and ADLs as “not impaired” were still 3.4%, 12.5%, and 17.8%, respectively, higher than the respondents who never exercised. The health-related behaviors not only promote elderly health improvement, but its duration has also been found to be associated with the extent of health improvement.

BackgroundBased on the 2014 survey of physical activity and physical fitness data of 20 − 69 year old Chinese, this study aims to investigate the relationship between economic development and people’s physical activity in China.MethodsA total of 43,389 adults from 30 different regions in mainland China were recruited. The GDP per capita of the 30 regions were determined based on the 2013 annual statistical report released by the national bureau of statistics of China and provincial level statistics bureaus. A questionnaire was used to determine the participants’ exercise frequency, duration, and intensity.ResultsFor the 30 regions surveyed, the correlation coefficients between GDP per capita and weekly activity were 0.23 for men and 0.15 for women. The correlation coefficients between GDP per capita and obesity rates were 0.52 for men and 0.39 for women.ConclusionsAlthough people in economically advanced regions in China currently engage in more physical activities than those in less economically developed regions, overweight and obesity persist as serious problems.

Objectives This study aimed to identify the 15-year trends of handgrip strength-to-weight (relative HS) and assess the association between relative HS and hypertension among Chinese adults aged 20–69. Methods Using a complex, stratified, multistage probability cluster sampling, we analyzed data collected from 712,442 adults aged 20–69 years in four successive national surveys (2000–2014). We used a handheld dynamometer to measure strength and divided by body weight to calculate the relative HS. Blood pressure was recorded with a sphygmomanometer and hypertension was defined as resting systolic blood pressure at least 140 mmHg or diastolic at least 90 mmHg. The Mann-Kendall trend test examined trends in relative HS over time. We also computed odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) by tertile of relative HS and examined the association between relative HS and hypertension. Results The relative HS level decreased with the increase of age in both male and females (p trend <0.001). In each of four surveys, one interquartile decrease in relative HS was associated with an increased risk of hypertension by 44% (OR = 1.44, 95%CI: 1.40–1.47), 58% (OR = 1.58, 95%CI: 1.54–1.62), 48% (OR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.45–1.52), 43% (OR = 1.43, 95%CI: 1.40–1.47), respectively. Conclusion In the Chinese adult population, the relative HS level decreased from 2000 to 2014 across all ages in both males and females. A lower relative HS was associated with a higher risk of hypertension. The findings provided evidence for the association between muscle strength and hypertension in large-scaled population.

Diabetes mellitus is a complicated metabolic disease with symptoms of hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, chronic damage and dysfunction of tissues, and metabolic syndrome for insufficient insulin production. Evidence has indicated that exercise treatments are essential in the progression of type‑ІІ diabetes mellitus, and affect insulin resistance and activity of islet β‑cells. In the present study, the efficacy and signaling mechanism of aerobic exercise on blood lipids and insulin resistance were investigated in the progression of type‑ІІ diabetes mellitus. Body weight, glucose metabolism and insulin serum levels were investigated in mouse models of type‑ІІ diabetes mellitus following experienced aerobic exercise. Expression levels of inflammatory factors, interleukin (IL)‑6, high‑sensitivity C‑reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor‑α and leucocyte differentiation antigens, soluble CD40 ligand in the serum were analyzed in the experimental mice. In addition, expression levels of toll‑like receptor 4 (TLR‑4) were analyzed in the liver cells of experimental mice. Changes of oxidative stress indicators, including reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase, glutathione and catalase were examined in the liver cells of experimental mice treated by aerobic exercise. Expression levels and activity of extracellular signal‑regulated kinases (ERK) and AMP‑activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathways were investigated in the liver cells of mouse models of type‑ІІ diabetes mellitus after undergoing aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise decreased the expression levels of inflammatory factors in the serum of mouse models of type‑ІІ diabetes mellitus. The results indicated that aerobic exercise downregulated oxidative stress indicators in liver cells from mouse models of type‑ІІ diabetes mellitus. In addition, the ERK and AMPK signaling pathways were inactivated by aerobic exercise in liver cells in mouse models of type‑ІІ diabetes mellitus. The activity of ERK and AMPK, and the function of islet β‑cells were observed to be improved in experimental mice treated with aerobic exercise. Furthermore, blood lipid metabolism and insulin resistance were improved by treatment with aerobic exercise. Body weight and glucose concentration of serology was markedly improved in mouse models of type‑ІІ diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, TLR‑4 inhibition markedly promoted ERK and AMPK expression levels and activity. Thus, these results indicate that aerobic exercise may improve blood lipid metabolism, insulin resistance and glucose plasma concentration in mouse models of type‑ІІ diabetes mellitus. Thus indicating aerobic exercise is beneficial for improvement of blood lipid and insulin resistance via the TLR‑4‑mediated ERK/AMPK signaling pathway in the progression of type‑ІІ diabetes mellitus.