"The Number of Obese Patients Has Surpassed Medical Capacity"... Rapidly Increasing Obese Population in China

"Half of Adults Are Overweight"
Western Diet and Convenience of Lifestyle Contribute

More than 50% of Chinese adults are classified as overweight, prompting calls for policy responses from health authorities.

On the 30th, China News Network cited remarks made by Zhang Chongtao, Deputy Director of Beijing Youyi Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University, at the 2nd China Obesity Conference (COC2023) held in Beijing the previous day, reporting that the obese population in China is steadily increasing.

Deputy Director Zhang stated, “Globally, obesity has become a disease that brings enormous economic burdens and social costs,” expressing concern that “by 2030, overweight-related health expenditures in China will account for 22% of the total national medical expenses.”

According to statistics from the National Health Commission (NHC) of China, the proportion of overweight individuals in China remains lower compared to developed countries including the United States, but it is rapidly increasing. The percentage of overweight adults in China surged from around 30% in 2015 to over 50% in 2020.

The NHC identified the causes of overweight among Chinese people as the widespread adoption of Western-style diets, overeating, and lack of physical activity. In particular, the overweight phenomenon among children was linked to the consumption of sugar-rich beverages.

The convenience brought by economic development has also been found to contribute to the rise in obesity. Due to automobiles and TVs, Chinese people have become accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle, significantly reducing their physical activity levels. According to the American medical journal Health Affairs, the obesity rate in Chinese households owning cars is 80% higher than in those without cars.

Deputy Director Zhang said, “It took three years (2018?2021) for the number of patients undergoing weight and metabolic surgery in China to reach 10,000 for the first time, but it doubled to 20,000 in just one year (2021?2022),” adding, “The number of patients is exceeding medical capacity.”

Additionally, the uneven regional distribution of the obese population in China was pointed out as a problem. The obese population tends to be relatively higher in northern regions and decreases toward the wealthier southern areas. Zhang Peng, Head of the Weight and Metabolic Surgery Department at Beijing Xiehe Hospital, who attended the conference, explained, “The number of weight loss surgeries in inland and economically underdeveloped regions does not reach the levels seen in economically developed coastal areas.”

He further noted, “In Western countries, the number of weight loss surgeries is balanced with the number of obese individuals, but China has not yet reached this point.”

Deputy Director Zhang emphasized, “The government, health authorities, medical staff, and patients must all pay attention to the overweight issue,” and stressed the need to “collaborate with public welfare foundations to assist patients who lack economic means but medically need to reduce weight.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.