Chinese doctors helping manage chronic disease through exercise, diet

CHONGQING, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's grassroots health institutions are offering advice and prescriptions on exercise and diet, among other measures, to promote the health management of patients with chronic diseases, officials from the National Health Commission said at a press conference held in Chongqing Tuesday.

Zhu Hongming, deputy head of the commission's Department of Primary Health, emphasized that grassroots health institutions are providing a significant amount of basic public health services, especially in the management of chronic disease patients, and have established relatively stable service connections with urban and rural residents.

As part of measures to advance chronic disease management, community health service centers and township health centers are providing exercise and dietary prescriptions or advice for patients with conditions such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hypertension, Zhu said.

Zhang Qian, a research fellow at the National Institute for Nutrition and Health under the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, highlighted the importance of prescribing exercise and dietary plans in the daily management of chronic diseases.

Adequate physical activity is crucial for health, as it can reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases and mortality, she said.

Zhang noted that the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022) not only emphasize the importance of balanced nutrition but also stress the need for regular physical activity.

For example, the guidelines encourage individuals to engage in physical activity daily, aiming for over 6,000 steps of active movement, and to engage in moderate to high-intensity physical activity more than five days per week, totaling over 150 minutes per week, or approximately 20-30 minutes per day.

"Patients with hypertension are encouraged to engage in regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking or jogging, on a daily basis," Zhang said, citing China's dietary guidelines for adults with hypertension.