NCD Watch

Weight Alarm for the Middle-aged

26 Apr 2011 (Tue)

Excess body weight can lead to a wide range of health problems and shorten life expectancy. It has now become a common phenomenon among the Hong Kong adult population. The Behavioural Risk Factor Survey April 2010 of the Department of Health observed that 39.2% of community-dwelling adults aged 18-64 in Hong Kong were overweight or obese i.e. having a body mass index (BMI) > 23.0 (BMI formula: Weight (kg) / [Height (m)] ² ). The prevalence was higher in males (48.3%) and people aged 45-54 (51.4%). Overweight and obesity are largely attributed to unhealthy eating and physical inactivity. Members of the public are urged to eat a balanced diet and be physically active, so as to maintain an optimal weight with a BMI between 18.5 and 22.9.