‘Alarming’ rise in obesity among Hong Kong children blamed on lifestyle changes caused by coronavirus pandemic
- Health department finds biggest increase in obesity has occurred among Primary One pupils, more junior secondary pupils facing weight problems
- Experts warn weight problems in early childhood may affect health and increase the possibility of obesity in adulthood
The health department, which raised concerns about the long-term consequences for the children, said the biggest increase in obesity occurred among junior primary school pupils. Lower forms in secondary schools had the highest number of pupils facing weight problems.
The department’s study found that about one in five Primary One and Two pupils who visited student health service centres were overweight or obese this year. The figure jumped 6.3 percentage points from last year to 20.2 per cent.
Some 24.1 per cent of Form One pupils suffered weight problems this year, up from 21.4 per cent in 2020. The same trend was recorded for those aged four years, with the figure increasing 2.2 percentage points from last year to 5 per cent.
Dr Thomas Chung Wai-hung, community medicine consultant at the department, described the obesity surge as “alarming” and attributed it to the pandemic.