Overweight and obesity in China

China's obesity problem is increasing at an "alarming" rate, with
nearly 15% of the population overweight and a 28-fold increase in the
problem in children in 15 years and explanations of China's recent
epidemic of overweight and obesity include changes to traditional diet,
reduced levels of physical activity, and increased sedentary lifestyles
(1).

During the past decades it became increasingly evident that the
spatial and social environments are particularly relevant factors within
the "web of causation" of obesity and chronic diseases (2). A recent cross
sectional and cohort study shows that the ownership of motorized transport
by households in China is associated with increasing obesity related
problems in children and adults (3).

Walking and cycling are two forms of physical activity that meet the
metabolic criteria for achieving health benefits from exercise (4, 5).
Rapid motorization has resulted reduction of cycling and walking in China.
We need to protect cyclists and pedestrians and other vulnerable road
users from both invasion of space by motor vehicles and risks of injuries
at crossings, and when walking in the streets due to blocked or inadequate
sidewalks. Efforts to create safe and accessible routes for people to walk
and bike to work can facilitate safe walking and biking related health
benefit for people of all ages.

Otherwise private ownership of motor vehicle continues to propagate
avoidance of walking and cycling among general population then the disease
burden (with inactivity as a risk factor for other diseases) will
increase, and the total burden of disease will be much larger than the WHO
predicts in 2020. We need improve mobility opportunities for the general
population so that people need not to rely on private owned vehicles.

In addition policy makers in China need to increase investment in
public transit infrastructure to ease traffic congestion and shift the
orientation in transport and land-use planning toward facilitate
pedestrian flow and bicycle traffic, and build high-density urban villages
to encourage walking and the use of public transportation.

Singapore has made auto ownership prohibitively expensive through the
imposition of various taxes and fees. Singapore was able to develop an
extensive public transportation system that provides access to almost
everywhere on the island.

REFERENCES:

(1). Wu Y., Overweight and obesity in China. BMJ. 2006:19;
333(7564):362-3.

(2). Bell A.C., Ge K., Popkin B.M., The road to obesity or the path
to prevention: motorized transportation and obesity in China. Obesity
Research 2002: 10: 277-83.

(3). Desapriya E., Obesity epidemic. Lancet. 2004:23-29;
364(9444):1488.

(4). Morris J.N., Hardman A.E., Walking to health. Sports Medicine
1997:23:306-32.

(5). Vuori I.M., Oja P., Paronen O., Physically active commuting to
work: testing its potential for exercise promotion. Medicine and Science
in Sports and Exercise 1994: 26:844-50.

Competing interests:
None declared