A GLOBAL survey has found that Hong Kong has one of the lowest child mortality rates in the world, but local doctors have warned that changing lifestyles are leading to increasing nutritional problems and obesity among young children.
The Unicef (United Nations Children's Fund) report, released yesterday, shows that Hong Kong has the fifth lowest infant mortality rate out of 145 countries for children under five.
The report, which compares the survival chances of children throughout the world, shows that only seven of every 1,000 children in Hong Kong will die before they reach the age of five.
Ireland has the lowest mortality rate with only six deaths per 1,000, while Niger has the highest with 320 deaths per 1,000.
The territory also compares well on other indicators, with a life expectancy of 78 years - beaten only by Japan where the average is 79 years.
At the other end of the scale, figures for some African nations tell a tragic story, with many having an infant mortality rate of well over 100 per 1,000 and a life expectancy in the 40s.
Hong Kong's infant mortality rate has remained stable since 1990 when it dropped to seven per 1,000 live births from 15 in 1980 and 64 in 1960.
