Shanghai will provide a free weight management health guide to all 25 million of its residents this year, according to the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission and the Shanghai Patriotic Health Campaign Committee Office on March 10.

The guide aims to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce the incidence of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

The initiative is part of a three-year national campaign to promote weight management. Lei Haichao, head of the National Health Commission, announced the national plan at a news conference on March 9 on the sidelines of the annual session of China's national legislature.

Since 2008, Shanghai has been distributing free health knowledge booklets and practical health tools to its residents.

The city also uses various forms and channels to carry out health education, resulting in a steady increase in the city's health literacy rate, which now stands at 42.09 percent.

This has helped Shanghai achieve leading health indicators on par with those of developed countries.

The weight management guide will be compiled by experts in clinical medicine, nutrition, public health, and sports medicine, drawing on information related to diet control, exercise, regular sleep patterns, and necessary medical interventions.

AI technology will be employed to enhance weight management efficacy.

Hundreds of thousands of copies of the guides will be printed, and it will also be distributed electronically through e-books, audiobooks, and videos, benefiting residents of Shanghai, the Yangtze River Delta region, and potentially across China.

Source: Shanghai Observer