Physical Activity and Dietary Attitudes and Behavioural Patterns in the Hong Kong Community
Condition: Physical Activity; Dietary Habits
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      The health benefits of regular physical activity and a healthy diet are well established in
      literature. Regular physical activity and a healthy diet may reduce the risk of certain
      non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer, and contribute
      to mental health and emotional benefits, as well as social wellbeing.

      Despite the health benefits of regular physical activity and healthy diet, most of the Hong
      Kong people live a sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle and do not meet the WHO's recommendation
      on physical activity for health and on fruit and vegetables intake.

      This study is to examine the physical activity and dietary attitudes and behavioural patterns
      of the Hong Kong community and provide a clear direction for future health education and
      awareness projects and campaigns aimed towards improving the general health of the Hong Kong
      community.
    

Detailed description: 
      The health benefits of regular physical activity and a healthy diet are well established in
      health literature. Regular physical activity is positively associated with psychological
      well-being (Bize, Johnson, & Plotnikoff, 2007), and inversely correlated with various
      illnesses (Pedersen & Saltin, 2006). Similarly, a healthy diet may reduce the risk of certain
      non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer (World Health
      Organization, 2015a; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2015), , and can also
      contribute to mental health and emotional benefits, as well as social well-being (Schooling,
      2006).

      The consequences of physical inactivity and an unhealthy diet are also well established in
      the literature, with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting that physical inactivity
      and unhealthy diets are two of the four main modifiable behavioural risk factors that
      contribute to non-communicable diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes, and obesity.

      Given the health benefits of regular physical activity and the detrimental effects of
      physical inactivity, the WHO recommends that children and young people aged 5 - 17 years
      should perform at least 60 minutes of moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity per
      day, and adults aged 18 years or above should perform at least 150 minutes of
      moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week. In
      terms of diet, the WHO recommends that for adults that a daily healthy diet should contain at
      least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, no more than 50 g of free sugars, and no more than
      5 g of salt.

      Despite the health benefits of regular physical activity, most Hong Kong people live a
      sedentary lifestyle. Many do not meet the World Health Organization targets for physical
      activity. The Department of Health (2015) reports that only 15.3% of local children aged 5 -
      14 years meet the WHO recommendations on physical activity for health, and the 2014
      Behavioural Risk Factor Survey indicates that only 37.4% of local adults aged 18 - 64 years
      meet the WHO recommendations on physical activity for health. Similarly, most Hong Kong
      people do not adopt a healthy diet, with about four-fifths (79.0%) of adults aged 18 - 64
      years failing to meet the WHO's recommendation on fruits and vegetable intake. Only 18.7% of
      local adults aged 18 - 64 years consume 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day
      (WHO, 2015b; WHO, 2016).

      As the aforementioned figures indicate, members of the Hong Kong community do not meet the
      WHO recommended physical activity and healthy diet standards. Since these standards of
      regular physical activity and a healthy diet benefit health and wellbeing and can protect
      against non-communicable diseases, it is important, in order to improve general health, to
      improve physical activity and healthy diet practices and patterns in the Hong Kong community.

      This study is to examine the Hong Kong people's attitudes and behavioural patterns in
      relation to physical activity and a healthy diet. Attitude-behaviour gaps may be identified,
      providing a clear starting point and direction for future health education and awareness
      projects and campaigns aimed towards improving the general health of the Hong Kong community.
    

Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Cross-Sectional
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Chinese-speaking individuals in the Hong Kong community