Hongkongers are health-conscious but nine out of 10 do not eat enough fruit or vegetables. They take too little exercise because of their long working hours, and almost a third are obese.
These are among the findings of a survey of 8,000 Hong Kong families, which form the basis for a 10-point 'healthy living index' by which residents can gauge their health.
Using the index, people can add or subtract points according to various aspects of their lifestyle, with the goal of reaching a maximum 10 points. The index, which is in Chinese only, was devised from results of the survey conducted by the Jockey Club Charities Trust and the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong.
'It will help people assess their health status easily and show them how to earn points to reach 10,' Professor Lam Tai-hing, director of the School of Public Health, said while releasing the results yesterday.
For example, a person who stopped smoking 10 years or more ago earns two points, while somebody who stopped less than ten years ago earns only one, and a current smoker gets zero.
During the two-year project, the team interviewed more than 20,000 Hong Kong families and randomly selected about 8,000 to be included in the survey. The questions covered topics such as alcohol and tobacco consumption, physical activity, living habits and health status.