Newsletter No. 494

04 # 4 9 4 | 1 9 . 0 3 . 2 0 1 7 stressed that parents should set an example of walking more and exercising more so as to induce their children to live a more active life. Hong Kong scores D in ‘School–Physical Exercise (PE), Physical-Activities-Related Policy, and Programmes’, same as Thailand but behind Mainland China (B+), Japan, and Malaysia (B). Professor Wong explained, ‘Many schools would slash PE lessons in senior forms to give students more time to prepare for their public examinations. This is not a preferable practice; the school’s management should emphasize the importance of PE classes so that students can grow in knowledge as well as mental and physical well-being. I would suggest PE teachers to incorporate more aerobic exercises in their lessons. They could also cultivate their students’ interest in sports by making the lessons more interesting.’ On the other hand, Hong Kong outperforms many Asian or even Western countries in both ‘Active Transportation’ (B) and ‘Community and the Built Environment’ (B). The Report shows that more than 60% of the children and youths in Hong Kong travelled to school on foot or by bicycle at least once a week. Professor Wong explained, ‘Hong Kong has a well-connected transportation system, with MTR stations or other means of public transport available in many residential areas. The city also has a relatively low crime rate and parents find the local community safe enough for children to travel to school on foot.’ The low level of physical activity among children and youth is not a problem that could be easily or quickly tackled. It requires cooperative efforts from different parties in society to address it. Professor Wong and his research team hope that the Report could arouse public awareness, connect different parties in promoting the benefits of adopting an active lifestyle to the next generations, and cause the government to support more physical-activities-related policies and investments. All these actions would facilitate Hong Kong in becoming a more energetic and dynamic city. This research project was supported by the University’s Knowledge Transfer Project Fund. Its core members include Prof. Wong Chi-sang (2nd left) of The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Prof. Sit Hui-ping (1st right) and Prof. Sum Kim-wai (1st left) of the Department of Sports Science and Physical Education. A n interdisciplinary research team led by Prof. Wong Heung-sang (2nd right), Chairman and Professor, Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, handed out the first report card last October on the physical activity of Hong Kong’s children and youths. 38 countries including the US, Japan, Finland and Kenya participated in the project pioneered in Canada. The research teams graded the local children and youths’ level of physical activity in the last 10 years according to nine core indicators in the card. Many studies have found that a sedentary lifestyle could increase the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases. Children and youths are suggested to participate in moderate- to-vigorous physical activity for at least an hour a day. Hong Kong scores D in ‘Overall Physical Activity Levels’, meaning that less than half of the children and youths could meet this international benchmark. Although Hong Kong’s score is about the global average, Professor Wong is still deeply concerned. ‘Families, schools, local communities and government measures have significant influence on children and youths’ level of physical activity. Hong Kong performs the worst (D) in “Family Support”, one of the nine indicators. Results show that less than 30% of Hong Kong parents engage in physical activities with their children at least once a week, which falls far behind many Western countries,’ said Professor Wong. While the Netherlands tops the chart (B) in terms of ‘Family Support’, Hong Kong lags behind when compared to countries such as Mainland China, Thailand (B) and the United Arab Emirates (C-). ‘The main reason stems from the busy schedules of working parents, which prevent them from finding time to do anything together with their children.’ The research team suggests parents to encourage their children to participate in more physical activities and less in sedentary ones. According to the ‘ Report of Advisory Group on Health Effects of Use of Internet and Electronic Screen Products ’, published by the Department of Health of the HKSAR government in 2014, one fifth of the secondary and primary school students interviewed spent more than three hours on the Internet each day. 37% of them frequently or occasionally gave up outdoor activities due to the use of Internet or electronic screen products. Professor Wong 體 育運動科學系教授及系主任王香生（右二）領 導的跨學科研究團隊於2016年10月發表了全港 首個「兒童及青少年體力活動報告卡」。這是加拿大首 創的國際項目，今屆共有美國、日本、芬蘭、肯尼亞等 三十八個國家和地區參與，各分析當地兒童及青少年十 年內的活動數據後，按照報告卡所訂的九項國際指標 評級。 不少文獻均指出高度的靜態生活模式會增加患上心臟 代謝疾病的風險，現存的公共衞生指引亦建議兒童及 青少年每天最少有一小時中等強度至劇烈體力活動。 香港在「整體體力活動水平」評分為D級，即少於半數 兒童及青少年達到這項國際標準。雖然評分與全球水 平相若，但王教授認為情況仍然令人關注。 王教授表示：「家庭、學校、社區以至政府措施都是影 響兒童及青少年體力活動量的重要因素。『家庭支持』 在香港報告卡中的九項指標中評級最低（D級），只有 約三成的父母能夠每週最少一次與子女一起參與體力 活動，遠遠落後西方國家。」這方面荷蘭以B級居首， 即便與中國、泰國（B）和阿聯酋（C-）相比，香港亦見 遜色。王教授說：「這跟香港家庭普遍為父母雙職，早 出晚歸，與孩子活動時間不多有莫大關係。」 研究團隊建議家長多鼓勵孩子參加動態活動，減少 子女進行靜態活動如使用電子設備的時間。報告卡援 引的衞生署《使用互聯網及電子屏幕產品對健康的影 響諮詢小組報告》（2014）指出，有五分之一的受訪中 小學生每日花超過三小時使用互聯網，37%受訪學生 表示因使用互聯網及電子屏幕產品，曾經常或間中放 棄戶外活動。王教授強調家長須以身作則，實踐多步 行多運動的生活模式，才能令孩子從小建立多活動的 習慣。 在「學校體育」一項，香港的評級是C，在亞洲與泰國 同級，惟落後於中國（B+）、日本和馬來西亞（B）。王 教授指出：「部分學校為了讓學生有更多時間準備公 開考試而削減高年級體育課堂，做法極不健康。學校 管理層應提高體育課的重要性，讓學生於在學期間無 論在知識或身心健康的層面上都得以提升。體育老師 亦可在課堂上安排更多帶氧運動，確保學生有足夠時 間進行一定強度的體力活動，同時增加體育活動的趣 味性，提高學生對運動的興趣。」 另一方面，本港在「步行／踏單車往返學校」和「社區 及環境設施」兩項指標中評分獲B級。報告顯示香港 有超過六成兒童及青少年每週最少一次步行或踏單車 返校。王教授解釋：「香港交通四通八達，不少住宅鄰 近地鐵站或其他公共交通工具，擁有地利。另外，香港 犯罪率偏低，亦是令家長放心讓孩子步行上學的原因 之一。」 兒童及青少年體力活動不足的問題牽連甚廣，並非一 朝一夕能夠解決，實有賴各界合作。王教授及其研究團 隊希望是次研究能夠提高大眾對這個現象的關注，促 進各界攜手向下一代灌輸積極健康的生活模式，並推 動政府在投放資源及制定政策上能加入更多相關方面 的考量，讓香港成為一個更有活力及朝氣的城市。 中大的研究團隊獲大學的知識轉移項目基金支持，主 要成員還包括公共衞生及基層醫療學院教授 黃至生 （左二）、體育運動科學系副教授 薛慧萍 （右一）和 助理教授 沈劍威 （左一）。 報告顯示香港體力活動不足 Physical Inactivity Pandemic in Hong Kong