BEIJING -- Many statistics show that Chinese teenagers' physiques have declined and it is urgent to strengthen their health, said Yang Hua, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), on Sunday, chinanews.com reported.
The obesity rate of Chinese juveniles is rising, said Yang. Students aged between 7 and 18 increased in height, weight and obesity rate between 1985 and 2010, according to a survey conducted by six ministries including the Ministry of Education. Currently, the obesity rate has exceeded 10%, the warning line according to the World Health Organization.
Teenagers' heart and lung functions are also declining, Yang added. The vital capacity of students aged between 7 and 18 decreased by 11.4 percent between 1985 and 2010. Though they are getting taller and heavier, they are running more slowly.
Their eyesight is also falling, said Yang. The eyesight fail rate leads the world, with a rate of 10.9 percent, 67.3 percent, 79.2 percent and 84.7 percent among pupils, junior middle students, senior middle students and university students respectively.
"The main reason for the decline in teenagers' physiques is the examination-oriented education system which focuses on scores at the price of physique," said Yang, who warns that if the problem is not addressed, it may become a worry for the nation.
He suggested three ways to solve the issue: raise the ratio of PE lesson in schools; make systematic plans and legislation to strengthen teenagers' physiques; local governments should offer more support for schools' physical training.
