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 ...
