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This article delves into the unique fitness and dietary habits prevalent in China, spotlighting key aspects such as a balanced diet focused on vegetables and legumes, minimal dairy intake, and the cultural significance of exercise. It highlights how physical conditioning is ingrained in Chinese society through governmental initiatives and community activities like Tai Chi and martial arts. Additionally, the article addresses the growing concern of obesity, particularly among children, and discusses the impact of Western dietary influences.
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Chinese Fitness -Sweatin’ it in the East- By (CB)2
What’s on the Menu • Diet • Exercise • Routine Physical Labor
Diet • Many Vegetables and Legumes (even during breakfast) • Significantly less dairy and beef • Not as many sweets (most candy comes from America) • Well-rounded diet including animals and rice
Diet Cont. • Food is minced into small portions before serving • Smaller plates make for smaller servings • “Saucy Susan” is utilized, presenting the eater with a broad spectrum of food groups including animals and rice • Chopsticks more tedious to use than fork --> less food therefore consumed
Diet Cont… • Food cooked in Soy oils rather than animal oils or rice oils • Very few midday/between meal snacks
Exercise • Healthy physical conditioning considered important • Government Ministry of Health and State Physical Culture Administration stresses the importance of exercise • Provincial government and committees encourage exercise and use of town squares to work out • Companies stress mandatory exercise for employees
Exercise Cont. • Fitness is stressed in schools and physical activities such as martial arts and basketball are taught • Schools specializing in Martial Arts (Shaolin School) and gymnastics exist
Exercise Cont… • Each city contains a square or location where routine morning and evening exercises exist • Exercises in the square include but are not limited to…
… • FAN DANCING! • TAI CHI! • BASKETBALL! • BALLROOM DANCING!
Exercise Cont…. • While exercising Chinese maintain customs, such as fan dancing and Tai Chi • In America Chinese exercises like Tai Chi have grown in popularity • Chinese work ethic • Practicality of working out
Daily Routine • Manual labor in nearly all sectors of work • Production in factories done by hand • Bicycles used to commute
Daily Routine Cont. • Chopsticks burn more calories per meal than calories burned per meal by a fork
Obesity • Not all Chinese are skinny • As of 2002 about 18% of China suffer from obesity • Heart problems now plague China • Obesity especially prominent in children
Obesity Cont. • Cause of Obesity is likely Westernization of the Chinese diet • Dairy, beef, and especially sweets are consumed like never before
Obesity Cont. • Chinese Ministry of Health and Public Health Service Committees are attacking obesity as it is a real threat • Free medical evaluations • Declare 2001 a “health year” • Fat farms
Miscellaneous Factors • For an American or a foreigner, Dysentery will hit causing dehydration, loss of appetite, and weight loss • The Chinese believe that “milk is for babies”Yin, which is why Chinese people have leaner muscles and are not as large as other cultures
Miscellaneous Factors Cont. • (Yin is large because he loves Cheese) • Chopsticks, although fun to use, are more difficult than forks, allowing for increased calories burned per meal, and less food administered per capita
