Are Hongkongers really getting fatter? The recent obesity alarm explained
Recent government figures said half of the population is overweight, because of a bad diet and infrequent exercise. We take a closer look at the numbers
The findings were from a government survey of more than 12,000 people aged 15 to 84 between December 2014 and August last year. Apart from finding an increase in the number of people suffering from various chronic diseases, it also exposed the fact that Hongkongers in general are not eating enough fruit and vegetables, while eating too much salt.
Are Hongkongers getting less healthy?
It depends on which figures you look at. They are, according to the findings released by the Department of Health on Monday.
The number of overweight or obese people increased from 38.8 per cent from the last survey, carried out in 2003 and 2004, to 50 per cent in the latest survey, done between 2014 and 2016. More people also had high cholesterol, with the number jumping from 1.8 million to 2.9 million over the same period.
But if you look at the yearly data released by the department, which only interviews those aged between 18 and 64, the increase is hardly noticeable. The number of people defined as overweight and obese remained between 36 per cent and 41 per cent of the city’s population from 2004 to 2016.
