YOUR figure is more than a matter of personal appearance; your waist size can affect the calculations of health economists about probable future health costs.

The State Ministry of Health recently released a series of surprising figures: about 22.8 per cent of Chinese adults are overweight with 7.1 per cent categorized as obese (at least 20 per cent heavier than the normal weight, given their age and height). Nationwide, it is estimated that over 200 million Chinese are overweight and 60 million are obese.

The problem is more serious in big cities, where the proportion of those overweight and obese has reached 30 per cent and 12.3 per cent respectively. The rate of obesity among children may be as high as 8.1 per cent.

Medical experts predict that the obesity rate will continue to increase rapidly in China.

"The rapid increase in the obese population, especially in big cities like Shanghai and Beijing, already presents a serious challenge to public health and social well-being," said associate professor Hong Jie, of the Shanghai Clinical Centre for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases.

Unhealthy lifestyles

Medical experts blame the increase in obesity on unhealthy lifestyles: including such factors as excessive intake of calories, especially sugar, insufficient exercise and rising work pressure.

"In addition to the genetic factor, the improvement in the standard of living has resulted in a higher incidence of obesity," said Hong.

Economic development has led to Chinese families changing their traditional dietary structure, adding more meat, fat, milk, oil and other high-calorie and high-fat foods on their menu.

The opening up and reform policy has also introduced Western-style fast-food restaurants such as KFC and Pizza Hut to the country, as well as Western dietary patterns. This has provided Chinese with new opportunities to enjoy Western-style food, but it also imposes additional risks to their health.

"I usually work 10 hours a day and seldom take exercise," said a local computer programmer surnamed Chen. The 1.75-metre 28-year-old man has gained 20 kilograms in weight over the past five years, accompanied by a series of health problems such as fatty liver.

Experts acknowledge that long hours in front of the TV increase the risk of obesity among young children. According to a survey conducted in North China's Tianjing this year, the obesity rate among children who watch TV for less than an hour each day is 10.8 per cent, but those who sit in front of the TV for more than three hours a day have a 15.8 per cent obesity rate. The high-calorie junk food that children often consume during their TV sessions further exasperates the situation, according to experts.

Potential risks

When someone is seriously overweight for a long time, the extra work burden on the heart can be harmful to the organ. Obese people often have high blood pressure. The extra weight can also have a damaging effect on the lungs, muscles and joints of the body. In addition, extra weight can make people feel bad about themselves - which can even lead to mental problems.

A series of statistics helps to reveal the potential danger of obesity: the rate of heart disease among obese people is 2.5 times greater than among people of normal weight, while high blood pressure is three times as prevalent among obese people than those of normal weight.

Medical research has proved that obesity is strongly related to a series of chronic diseases, including fatty liver, diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary diseases, tumours and infertility.

Making the problem worse, obesity can be less obvious among Chinese since their excessive fat tissue is usually hidden in the abdominal region, a phenomenon called "central obesity".

"This type of obesity can be even more harmful than other types, with patients more at risk of developing diabetes and other diseases," said professor Xiang Kunshang of the Shanghai No. 6 People's Hospital.

According to a recent survey by Xiang, based on 690 individuals in the city's Jing'an District, about 17 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women were diagnosed as suffering from central obesity, despite having BMIs (body mass indexes) in the normal range.

Social awareness

Four years ago, Shanghai's Ruijin Hospital opened an outpatient department specially dedicated to obese patients. The department opens every Friday morning and receives an average of 30 patients a week, most of whom are young or middle-aged.

Only 150 metres away from Ruijin, Xiangshan Hospital receives several hundreds of obese patients from all around the nation. The hospital is famous for treating obesity by means of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

However, for most local hospitals with an obesity outpatient department, patients are scarce. Some only receive a single patient during a clinical session, while others had too few patients to remain open.

"Most people don't yet understand the potential harm of obesity. They usually wait until serious syndromes appear - such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes - before seeking medical help or advice," said Hong.

On the other hand, weight-loss drugs sell well in pharmacies. Although some, such as Qumei and Xenical, are classified as prescription drugs in Western countries, people can freely purchase them in China.

Yet doctors are worried that the use of weight-loss drugs without medical guidance could also result in harm to patients.

"The process of losing weight is long and hard - usually taking months or years. But many patients, misled by advertisements, hope to lose several kilograms within just a few weeks," said Hong.