China Medical News

China's National Health Commission has released its first set of guidelines aimed at standardizing the diagnosis and treatment of obesity.

Over past years, China has witnessed an upward trend in the morbidity rate of its overweight and obese population, according to the guidelines issued by the commission. More than half of adults in the country are overweight or obese, and the rate could reach 65.3 percent by 2030, according to a 2020 report from the NHC.

As an independent disease and a major causative factor for multiple chronic diseases, obesity has become a major public health issue in China, ranking as the sixth leading risk factor for death and disability in the country, the guidelines say.

The guidelines address the diagnosis standards, classification and staging of obesity. Its treatment section includes methods for behavioral, psychological and sports-based interventions, medical nutrition therapy, medication treatments, weight-loss and metabolic surgery, as well as approaches from traditional medicine. According to the guidelines, five medications have been approved in China for weight-loss treatment in adults with primary obesity. No medications have been approved for the treatment of inherited obesity in China.

Experts emphasize that most overweight and obese cases are caused by unhealthy lifestyles. The fundamental solution is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet and appropriate exercise to keep weight within a healthy range. (Source: Xinhua)