The number of overweight people in China has topped 200 million, at least 30 million of whom are obese.

Li Chunsheng, a doctor with the Xiyuan Hospital affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said obesity was more common among people over the age of 50, with the ratio standing at 43.1 percent among males and 55.43 percent among females.

Doctor Li said obesity had become one of the serious diseases threatening the lives of Beijingers, especially primary and middleschool students.

The ratio of obese children in Beijing had climbed to 18.17 percent in 2002 from 10.61 percent in 1991.

The doctor warned that obesity increased the risk of developinghigh blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. "The life expectancy of people who are overweight by 30 percent is four years shorter than that of normal groups."

However, he said, binge eating and dieting that lead to repeated increases and decreases in weight was also harmful to health.

Some experts suggest people should give up lifestyles that leadto obesity and do more exercise.

(People's Daily March 3, 2004)