2002 Comprehensive Report, China Nutrition and Health Survey Report No. 1

Author: Wang Longde, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: The routine investigation and statistics of national nutrition and health status are one of the important signs of a modernized society and social progress. Most developed countries in the world and some developing countries regularly conduct national dietary, nutrition, and health status surveys, promptly release national health status reports, and formulate their own food production and health care policies based on these surveys to improve the nutrition and health levels of their citizens. Therefore, as a country with the largest population and a rapidly developing economy, it is very important and of great significance to carry out national nutrition and health status surveys during the period of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. China has conducted three nationwide nutrition surveys in 1959, 1982, and 1992, three nationwide epidemiological surveys on hypertension in 1959, 1979–1980, and 1991, and two epidemiological sampling surveys on diabetes in 1984 and 1995. These surveys have provided a large amount of basic data for the formulation of China's health care, disease prevention, and other strategies and measures. However, since these surveys were conducted separately, there were issues such as repeated investment of funds and the inability to share data and information resources. As a result, they could not comprehensively reflect the nutrition and health status of the national population, nor could they become an authoritative database for national nutrition and health status. To obtain a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the nutrition and health status of residents in China, to provide a scientific basis for the formulation of national policies and the adjustment of health work priorities and investment directions, the Ministry of Health organized experts for discussions in January 2001 and decided to integrate the national hypertension, diabetes, and nutrition surveys. On the basis of fully utilizing resources and sharing information, the "National Nutrition and Health Survey of Chinese Residents" was launched, aiming to make it a routine work in China's health system. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the National Bureau of Statistics, the "National Nutrition and Health Survey of Chinese Residents" was conducted nationwide from August to December 2002. The 2002 National Nutrition and Health Survey of Chinese Residents was the first time in China to conduct nutrition and chronic non-communicable disease epidemiological surveys as a comprehensive health survey project. It had a large sample size, wide coverage, rigorous sampling design, and national representativeness. The survey content was rich, the methods were standardized, and the information was extensive. The survey involved multi-departmental and multi-disciplinary cooperation, combining preventive and clinical medicine, with full mobilization and participation from the central government to all 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions. This survey is of great significance for improving the health quality of the national population, promoting the sustainable development of national health, and comprehensively enhancing the scientificity of health decision-making and the level of health services in China. On October 12, 2004, the State Council Information Office held a press conference on the current status of nutrition and health of Chinese residents, announcing the results of the survey to the public, which caused a great response in society. To make full use of the information from this survey, the survey database will be made public to the public as soon as possible to achieve information sharing. This survey obtained a large amount of data and information. This report mainly provides a comprehensive report and descriptive analysis of the dietary, nutritional status, and prevalence rates of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and abnormal blood lipid levels obtained from this survey. The results regarding dietary and nutrient intake of Chinese residents of different ages, regions, and economic levels, residents' physical fitness and nutritional status, behaviors and lifestyles, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, abnormal blood lipid levels, metabolic syndrome, the relationship between diet, physical activity and chronic diseases, and economic burden and related policies will be published and released in the form of monographs in due course.