A health professional carries out a visual acuity test at a kindergarten in Tongren, Guizhou Province, on 5 June 2023 (CNS)

China has made a remarkable progress in the overall improvement of children’s health. Infant mortality and under-five mortality rates in the country were down to 4.5 per 1,000 and 6.2 per 1,000 children, respectively, in 2023, a decrease of 16.7 percent and 17.3 percent from 2020, according to the 2024 Blue Book of Children, a report on the development of children in China recently published by the China National Children’s Centre. These figures are among the best in the middle- and higher-income countries. 

However, there is also a worrying trend related to the health of Chinese children and adolescents: an increase in myopia and obesity. More attention is now being paid to these issues, a task that requires solid cooperation between various stakeholders. 

Committed to eye health 

According to researchers, exposure to sunlight is necessary for the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter essential for the proper functioning of the retina. Longer study times and more time spent in front of different screens (TVs, consoles, tablets, etc.) increase the risk of myopia. This could explain the 2.5 percentage point increase in the myopia rate to 52.7 percent in 2020 among the Chinese children and adolescents who sometimes had to stay at home and take online courses due to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To counteract this trend, the Chinese government has set an annual target of reducing the myopia rate by 0.5 percentage point and a 10-year goal of reducing the prevalence of the condition among schoolchildren, junior high school students and senior high school students to less than 38 percent, 60 percent and 70 percent, respectively, between 2021 and 2030. To this end, national campaigns are launched every year to promote awareness of eye health among young people. 

As part of these efforts, a number of measures have been taken at the national level, such as reducing the school workload for students by applying the “double reduction” policy from 2021, restricting the use of digital devices, and conducting visual acuity tests for all children and adolescents to identify any vision problems. 

In March last year, the Ministry of Education in collaboration with three other ministries issued a directive requiring primary and secondary schools to organise a daily 30-minute break for sports activities to allow students to relieve eye strain. 

On the campus of Zhanlanlu No. 1 Primary School in Beijing’s Xicheng District, for example, as soon as the bell rings at the end of the day, the students enthusiastically make their way to the playground, where they can take part in a range of sports activities including basketball, badminton and skipping. Laughter and good humour fill the air.  

Wei Chun, the school’s vice principal, says that since the start of the school year, her school has introduced a 20-minute break at lunchtime and in the afternoon to give students a chance to relax and refresh themselves. 

Pupils take part in a running competition at a primary school in Haian, Jiangsu Province, on 13 May (CNS) 

Tackling obesity 

The emphasis on physical activity in China is also a direct response to the fight against childhood obesity. According to a new study published in The Lancet, the obesity rate among girls in China has risen from 0.6 percent in 1990 to 7.7 percent in 2022, and among boys from 1.3 percent in 1990 to 15.2 percent in 2022. 

Data presented at the10th China Obesity Science Conference, held in Beijing on 10-11 May, show that about 19 percent of adolescents aged 6-17 years and about 10.4 percent of children under 6 years are currently overweight or obese. 

Lifestyle plays an important role in influencing health, according to a study by the World Health Organisation. Unbalanced diet and lack of physical activity are the main causes of obesity. Shen Hongbing, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, says that obesity is a major risk factor for various chronic diseases such as diabetes, tumours and joint disease. In addition, the risk of cardiovascular disease is 122 percent higher in overweight and obese people than in those who maintain a healthy body weight. 

To combat this scourge, Chinese authorities are aiming to reduce the average annual growth of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents by 70 percent between 2021 and 2030, compared with 2002-2017. Kindergarten students are required to have at least two hours of outdoor activity per day, including one hour of sports, and primary and secondary school students at least three hours of vigorous physical activity per week. 

With this in mind, the Education Commission of Xicheng District in Beijing has distributed healthy cooking recipes, rulers and small spoons to help students regularly measure their height and waist circumference, while recommending a reduction in salt and oil consumption and monitoring sugar intake. 

More and more parents are also becoming aware of the importance of a healthy body and mind for their children, and are prioritising physical activity over perfect school grades. Lin Man, mother of a 7-year-old boy, is a firm believer in the benefits of exercise, especially in preventing short-sightedness and obesity. So, she scheduled badminton, skipping and family walks for her son during the recent winter holidays. “His physical condition has improved significantly. Now he’s full of confidence and his interest in sport has grown accordingly. It’s a virtuous circle,” she said.