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Journal of Nutrition and Human Health | Volume 3
J Nutr Hum Health, Volume 3
November 21-22, 2019 | Singapore
Clinical Nutrition and Fitness
17th International Conference on
Obesity epidemic and prevention in China
Youfa Wang
Ball State University, USA
As the second largest economy, China also has the largest
number of overweight and obese (ov/ob) people in
the world as about 50% of adults and 20% of children are
overweight or obese. Ov/ob rates have increased rapidly in
China in the past 3 decades. Funded by the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF), we examined obesity trends,
national policies and intervention programs on childhood
obesity in China since 1949, compared these with related
international recommendations and practice, and provided
recommendations for future efforts. In China ov/ob
prevalence increased from 29.9% in 2002 to about 46.0%
in 2014; from 5.8% in 1991 to 9.5% in 2011 in preschool
children (2-6 y), and from 8.0% in 1985 to 27.9% in 2014 in
school children (7-18 y). Development of national policies
on childhood obesity prevention in China has experienced
3 stages: 1) 1949-1994: Childhood ov/ob were low, related
research and national surveys emerged; 2) 1995-2010:
childhood ov/ob increased rapidly, related policies and
intervention programs were gradually established; and 3)
2011-: policies focused on improving nutrition status of
children in poor areas, establishing monitoring systems, but
effectiveness of the polices was not assessed. Nine major
national intervention programs were identified. Mainly they
focused on preschool or school children and on promoting
physical activity (e.g., “The Happy 10 Minutes Program”) and
healthy eating (e.g., School Meal Program). No interventions
targeted at improving environments. Recently we published
the “China Blue Paper on Obesity Prevention and Control” to
promote obesity interventions in China. Compared to many
industrialized countries, national policies and interventions
on childhood obesity in China are limited. Timely efforts
including new national policies and programs are made to
fight the epidemic in China. Lessons learned in China provide
useful insight frommany other countries.
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