The test results are in and, well Hong Kong, we’re afraid it’s bad news: You drink too much, don’t each enough fruit or vegetables and you, or the person next to you, is likely overweight.
This isn’t just us speaking, it’s a new Department of Health study released this week, which revealed about 50 percent of Hongkongers between 15 and 84 years of age are overweight and that the majority of the city’s residents have frankly rotten diets and lifestyle habits.
Not helping matters: Hongkongers are boozier than ever, with the percentage of respondents saying they indulge in regular or occasional drinking doubling from 33 percent in 2003 to 61 percent in 2014.
We know, it’s been a tough few years.
According to the study, 10 percent of those surveyed binge drink, a figure that would presumably jump to 99.9 percent if restricted to respondents who were interviewed at LKF about 1:20am on, well, any night.
On the diet front, we can safely inform you that the holy food pyramid is not being worshipped.
Some 94.4 percent of respondents had an inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, while 86 percent consume too much salt, with a daily intake of more than the World Health Organization recommendation of 5 grams.
About 54 percent of Hongkongers between the ages of 15 and 84 have high cholesterol, with similarly high rates of hypertension and diabetes.
The study, conducted by the Department of Health between December 2014 and August 2016, is the second large-scale, territory-wide survey of its type and saw 12,022 people polled and 2,347 of them undergo a health examination.
Presenting the findings on Monday, Health Director Dr Constance Chan, shook her head and made Hong Kong, who was eating an egg tart at the time, feel really guilty.
OK, maybe not exactly, but she did express concern about the high prevalence of drinking and warned of the myriad health problems it causes.
“As it is evident that alcohol produces more harm than any potential benefits, non-drinkers are advised not to start drinking while drinkers should gradually decrease their drinking to reduce harm,” she said.
Sure, sound advice… which we here at Coconuts HK and, apparently the majority of Hong Kong, will try to follow for at least a few hours.
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