Healthy lifestyles urged as nation's obesity rates climb

With obesity rates in China climbing fast, especially among youngsters, experts have called for improving awareness about healthy lifestyles and strengthening treatment of the disease.

Worldwide, the obesity rates for adults more than doubled between 1990 and 2022, and quadrupled among children and adolescents, according to new study results released by the medical journal The Lancet. The total number of people living with obesity has surpassed 1 billion globally, according to the Lancet's analysis, released ahead of World Obesity Day, which fell on March 4.

The growing burden of obesity has deeply affected China, as the proportion of female adults considered obese jumped around fourfold, while the proportion of male adults who are obese surged elevenfold. In 2022, the rate stood at 7.8 percent for Chinese women and 8.9 percent for Chinese men, according to the study.