The figures are astounding: 17.5 percent of our children are obese or overweight with most students (94 per cent) not getting enough exercise, according to a report released by the Department of Health (DH) last week.
The report is a warning. If we do not look after the wellbeing of our children, they will grow up with deficiencies which will hamper their progression throughout their career.
The DH is to be applauded for the thoroughness of its report. During the 2024/25 school year, it assessed 256,000 primary school students and 172,000 secondary school students as to their life styles. The result is that they are lazy when it comes to physical activity. Some, 93.6 per cent of students (91.5 per cent of primary and 95.8 per cent of secondary school students) reported insufficient levels of daily physical activity, i.e. not having at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity daily.
This has consequences, says Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, consultant in community medicine at the DH. Being overweight during childhood and adolescence adversely affects health, she says, and is associated with a greater risk and earlier onset of various non-communicable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Childhood and adolescent obesity can also have adverse psychosocial consequences, affecting students' school performance and quality of life.
Genetics, metabolism, sleep patterns and exposure to stress of adverse childhood events can also contribute to weight gain.
But overall Hong Kong is not doing too badly. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the world average for obese children is 19.8 per cent of school children aged 5-19 globally in 2025. This figure represents more than 391 million children affected by obesity with significant variation by region and country. For example, 33 million in China are estimated to be obese, while 14 million in India and 13 million in the United States are living with obesity. The WHO says that the prevalence of obesity has been increasing with a notable rise in high-income countries and regions.
The Government has been doing its bit. The Financial Secretary, Paul Chan Mo-po recently proposed a $1.2 billion package for the promotion of sport, which would be available through the numerous sports associations in Hong Kong. If schools are smart, they could align themselves to any of these associations for the benefit of their students.
And then the government launched the inaugural Action Plan on Weight Management earlier this month, to bring together the strengths of various government bureaux and departments to enhance collaboration between Chinese and Western medicine. The purpose is to comprehensively promote weight management across Hong Kong through various activities and approaches.
More than 75 per cent of Hong Kong schools have joined these initiatives, which includes recommendations for exercise, diet and balanced screen time.
However, the fight against obesity in our youth also rests with parents and schools.
For a healthy body, sport and diet go hand in glove. In Hong Kong, despite the many sporting activities available their dietary habits are below the optimal dietary levels with about 90 per cent consuming fewer than the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.
Another factor causing obesity is the extensive recreational use of electronic devices (smart phones, iPads, tablets and computers), which contribute to sedentary behaviour with a high proportion of Hong Kong students exceeding two hours daily, clicking their thumbs playing games on their smart phones. If a student’s legs can move as quickly as their thumbs, they will lead a healthy life and become pillars of society.
School and home environments, neighbor safety and social norms affect food access and activity levels.
At home, it is the responsibility of parents to provide a well-balanced diet for their children and refrain from fatty foods, deep fried foods and fast foods, which despite claims by the providers do not provide the necessary nutritional value required for a healthy body.
Schools are key settings for obesity prevention because children spend considerable time there, making it possible to shape lifelong dietary and physical habits.
Under the guideline provided by the Education Department, schools provide nutritious meals, promote fruit and vegetable consumption and limit unhealthy foods.
In Hong Kong schools either have their own kitchens to offer healthy lunches or they contract the service to outside catering firms. Either way they are carefully monitored to ensure they take out “strongly discouraged food items” from all menu choices and stop the supply of snacks and drinks categorised as “snacks to choose less” to reduce the intake of fat, salt and sugar by students.
Childhood obesity in schools is a multifaceted public health issue requiring a holistic approach. Schools can play a pivotal role by providing healthy meals, promoting physical activity, raising awareness and integrating preventive strategies into daily routines. Coordinated action involving students, parents, teachers, healthcare professionals and policymakers is essential to curb obesity.
Mark Pinkstone
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