DH urges public to adopt healthy lifestyles to achieve physical fitness and protect heart in support of World Heart Day
On World Heart Day today (September 29), the Department of Health (DH) urged the public to adopt healthy lifestyles, maintain a balanced diet, refrain from smoking and drinking, and actively participate in the Primary Healthcare Co-care Network (Co-care Network) and the Life Course Preventive Care Plan, both of which were launched by the Government to holistically safeguard health and prevent cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), the world's "No. 1 killer".
Department of Health, Photo source: reference image
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), CVDs (including heart disease and stroke) are the leading cause of death globally, claiming 17.9 million lives each year. In Hong Kong, CVDs are also among the leading causes of death. In 2025, 10119 registered deaths (provisional figures) were attributed to CVDs, accounting for around one-fifth (19.6 per cent) of all deaths. The majority of these deaths (65.2 per cent) were associated with heart disease.
"Although 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure' is a cliché, it is absolutely the primary strategy for preventing non-communicable diseases, including CVDs. Eighty per cent of CVDs are preventable through healthy eating, being physically active, and refraining from smoking and drinking, among other measures. Therefore, the Government has consistently educated the public through various channels, and has fostered a supportive environment through multidisciplinary and community-wide collaborations to encourage citizens to actively engage in physical activities. In March 2026, the DH announced the Action Plan on Weight Management. In addition to raising public awareness of weight management and a healthy diet, the action plan also encourages everyone to use 10 000 steps a day as a target to cultivate the habit of having regular physical activity. Those who are yet to join may take part in the 10 000 Steps a Day Walking Challenge via the e+Life platform of the eHealth mobile app, and explore thematic walking routes with family and friends, thereby incorporating physical activity into daily life," said the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the DH, Dr Edwin Tsui.
According to the DH's Health Behaviour Survey 2023, 14.8 per cent of adults performed an insufficient level of physical activities, and did not meet the WHO's recommended levels of aerobic physical activity (i.e. to engage in at least 150 to 300 minutes of physical activities of moderate intensity every week/at least 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity/an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity). Moreover, 33.9 per cent of adults sit or recline for over eight hours every day, excluding the time spent sleeping. Research reveals that sedentary behaviour or prolonged sitting increases the risks associated with CVDs. Taking a break from prolonged sitting, even by simple ways such as a short walk or standing up for a while, squatting or standing on one's tiptoes, can help reduce relevant health risks.
Photo source: reference image
In addition, reducing salt intake can effectively lower the risk of developing raised blood pressure and CVDs. According to the DH's Population Health Survey 2020-22, 83.9 per cent of people in Hong Kong aged 18 to 84 had an average of 8.4 grams of salt intake every day, above the WHO-recommended limit of less than 5g (equivalent to about one teaspoon) per day. Meanwhile, the prevalence of raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose and raised total blood cholesterol were 30 per cent, 8.6 per cent and 52.7 per cent respectively. As well, over half of Hong Kong's adult population is overweight or obese. Dr Tsui urged the public to adopt a balanced diet with at least five daily servings of fruit and vegetables, reduce fat and sugar intake, avoid smoking, and refrain from alcohol consumption.
The Government announced the launch of the Co-care Network in March 2026. Guided by the principle of "whole-person health", the Co-care Network introduces evidence-based, life-course-spanning preventive measures alongside a structured framework for regular screening and management of high-risk diseases. To achieve "early prevention, early detection and early treatment", the Chronic Disease Co-Care Scheme (CDCC Scheme) under the Co-care Network will continue to subsidise Hong Kong residents aged 45 or above with no known medical history of diabetes mellitus or hypertension. By pairing participants with a family doctor of their choice, the CDCC Scheme provides comprehensive CVD risk factor screening and management -including the "three highs" (i.e. high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol) - in the private healthcare sector on a co-payment basis. The CDCC Scheme has demonstrated positive outcomes in both health and cost-effectiveness. Preliminary analysis by a local university research team indicates an overall improvement in participants' health conditions. Notably, after 12 months in the programme, the average systolic blood pressure among hypertensive patients decreased from 150 mmHg to 135 mmHg; the average glycated haemoglobin level of patients with diabetes mellitus decreased from 7.8 per cent to 6.7 per cent; and the average Body Mass Index of patients with prediabetes also decreased by 0.52 kg/m². Members of the public can visit the dedicated website for further details.
Photo source: reference image
Furthermore, the Primary Healthcare Commission promotes the Life Course Preventive Care Plan through District Health Centres/District Health Centre Expresses and family doctors. This initiative aims to enhance public awareness of disease prevention, foster healthy lifestyle habits, and assist citizens in formulating personalised health strategies for different life stages.
The theme of World Heart Day 2026 is "Don't Miss a Beat". To support this theme, the DH will continue to promote healthy living among the public and collaborate with community partners to foster healthy living environments. For more information, please visit the Change for Health website of the DH.
