Changing lifestyles in China are driving an explosion in the number of cases of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Children in China’s biggest cities are getting a third of their calories from packaged and processed foods; and the average amount of weekly physical activity in adults dropped by over 30% in the past decade. The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases has climbed by more than 20% during this same time period, and it is estimated that China is now home to more than 100 million type 2 diabetics – making the prevalence of diabetes in China among the highest in the world.
In order to promote more awareness about the importance of healthy living in preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the World Health Organization (WHO) is launching a new social media campaign – to engage the Chinese public in a conversation about how a healthy lifestyle can help guard against disease.
“When we’re kids, we’re told to eat our fruits and vegetables every day so that we grow up healthy and strong. But increasingly, many people are forgetting the importance of heeding that basic advice about living healthily throughout life,” said Dr Bernhard Schwartländer, WHO Representative in China.
“Our new social media campaign, #GetHealthy, is about engaging with the public on how simple lifestyle changes can help to massively reduce the risk of developing diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes,” Dr Schwartländer said.
The first phase of the campaign will focus on the importance of healthy diet and physical activity. Unhealthy diets – that is, diets high in fat, sugars and salt – and lack of physical activity are key risk factors for NCDs, China’s number one health threat. Lack of physical activity is linked to as many as 20% of deaths from the five major NCDs (coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer, and diabetes). Yet in China, 4 in 5 children are currently not getting enough physical activity every week.
NCDs are responsible for more than 80% of deaths in China – around 8.6 million deaths every year. Alarmingly, around one-third of all NCD-related deaths – approximately 3 million – are premature, that is, occurring before the age of 70.
“Three million people are dying every year in China, from diseases which are largely preventable through adopting a healthier lifestyle – having a healthy diet, getting enough exercise, not drinking too much alcohol, and of course not smoking. It’s time to change this,” Dr Schwartländer said.
WHO’s healthy living awareness campaign will be run via the micro-blogging platform Weibo, using the hashtag #GetHealthy [#活该健康#]. The campaign aims to engage young and middle-aged people and especially those living in cities – who are at especially high risk of developing sedentary, unhealthy lifestyle habits. Through the campaign we will provide practical, useful and factual information – for example, tips on healthy diet and exercise. The campaign will feature real people and their stories and experiences of healthy living.
“Tackling the NCD epidemic will also require strong action from Government – through interventions such as full implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, replacing trans fats with polyunsaturated fats, restricting or banning alcohol advertising, promoting breastfeeding (to reduce child obesity), and implementing public awareness programs on diet and physical activity,” Dr Schwartländer said.
“But through this new campaign we’re excited about engaging directly with the public – about how, at an individual level, we can all be agents for change in creating healthier lifestyles for ourselves, and a healthier China,” Dr Schwartländer concluded.
To learn more, follow WHO China's official Weibo (@世界卫生组织), or scan the campaign QR code:
About the World Health Organization (WHO)
WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.
For more information, please contact:
Ms WU Linlin
WHO China Office
E-mail: wul@who.int
Office Tel: +86 10 6532 7191