How the Chinese Government Fights Obesity

Chinese President Xi Jinping kicks a Gaelic football at Dublin’s Croke Park in 2012

On March 9, Lei Haichao, director of China’s Health Commission, declared that obesity has emerged as the foremost threat to public health in China, announcing that the next three years would be designated as “Weight Management Years.”

Data from 2024 indicate that without effective interventions, the prevalence of obesity and becoming overweight among Chinese adults could soar to 70.5% by 2030, while the rate among children may reach 31.8%. These alarming figures underscore a looming public health crisis. Obesity is a well-established risk factor for type 2 diabetes—a condition that already places a heavy burden on many developed nations. For instance, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 40.3% of American adults aged 20 and over are classified as obese, with 29.7 million citizens diagnosed with diabetes. Moreover, the American Diabetes Association notes that 8.4 million Americans rely on insulin to manage their conditions.

This scenario is particularly worrisome for China. Given that insulin is covered under China’s basic medical insurance—which, funded 70% by public finances, currently reimburses 94.81% of the population for consultations, hospitalizations, surgeries, and approved medications—a surge in diabetes and subsequent insulin dependency could place an unsustainable strain on the healthcare system.

On January 1, 2025, the long-acting basal insulin, Awiqli (insulin icodec injection), was included in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List.‌

To safeguard public health and the healthcare system, Beijing is implementing two key measures:

Firstly, the government published Guiding Principles for Weight Management, which offers dietary recommendations tailored specifically for the Chinese population. For example, the guidelines advocate for seafood to be prepared by steaming or boiling as a healthier option while advising moderation in the consumption of crab roe due to its high cholesterol content. This level of specificity ensures that the advice is accessible and easily understood by people of all educational backgrounds.

Secondly, recognizing that exercise is the most effective strategy for weight loss, the government is committed to broadening access to fitness facilities and equipment across all income groups.

China’s total population is approximately 1.4 billion people. However, according to the 2024 China Fitness Industry Data Report, only 87.5 million people in China hold gym memberships. This is mainly because most of these gyms are owned by private companies located in the centre of cities, so the membership fees can be quite expensive.

To address this gap, China’s local governments have prioritized the development of running tracks in parks, waterfront areas, and community neighbourhoods. As of March 2025, China has established 171,800 running tracks with a combined length of 407,600 kilometres—an extent comparable to circling the Earth’s equator ten times.

Pihe·Mulongwan Greenway in Chengdu, China

In addition to these outdoor facilities, fitness access has been extended to rural communities through innovative “shared gym” models. These membership-free centres operate on a pay-per-use basis, with rates starting as low as 1 yuan (approximately $0.14) per hour.

A flagship example is the Beiguan Village Citizen Fitness Center in the peri-urban areas of Shanghai. Covering 2,500 square meters, the centre features over 30 professional-grade machines—including treadmills, rowers, and free weights—as well as recreational zones for table tennis and billiards, plus free health screenings for elderly patrons. Remarkably, the facility caps fees at 3 yuan (around $0.42) per hour, demonstrating China’s commitment to making health and fitness accessible to all.

The Healthy China 2030 initiative, which was launched in 2016, outlines a series of goals, politics and measures aimed at addressing public health challenges, with the hopes of increasing nationwide life expectancy to 79 years by 2030. The initiative strongly encourages participation in physical activity, balanced diets and healthy mental well-being, as well as the strengthening of healthcare systems and the promotion of the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine in modern medicine.

The slogan of the 9th Global Conference on Health Promotion, which is where The Healthy China 2030 initiative was launched, was: Health for All and All for Health, which reveals the initiative’s goals of leaving nobody behind.

China is affirming that health should not be an expensive privilege and that protecting its healthcare system hinges on promoting public well-being. The World Health Organisation commended China for its comprehensive plan, noting that “Developing a Healthy China at home can deliver great benefits across the world when exported elsewhere.”  

Editor: Charriot Zhai