The numbers don't lie: we need to pull up our socks when it comes to health. The University of Hong Kong's School of Public Health revealed last month that Hong Kong as a whole scored a passing grade (six) on the 10-point Healthy Living Index it has devised.
Of 18,906 people surveyed from March 2009 to March 2011 as part of the school's Family Project, the average score was 6.11, and nearly 24 per cent scored eight (very healthy). The index includes all four common risk factors addressed at the United Nations summit on non-communicable diseases last year - tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity - to assess a person's risk of adverse health outcomes.
'This new index is meant to help people assess themselves and show them what areas they need to work on. It's motivating and empowering,' says Professor Lam Tai-hing, principal investigator for the Family Project.
However, the survey also found areas where improvement is needed. For example, 90 per cent of Hongkongers don't eat enough fruit and vegetables and 30 per cent are considered obese.
Just how much do you know about health? Test yourself here.
1. The percentage of smokers (anyone who has smoked in the past year) in the city is: