Taiwanese have a stronger desire to lose weight than most other people in the Asia-Pacific region, leading a doctor to conclude that Taiwanese assign too much importance to staying slim, a survey released yesterday shows.
The survey, conducted by TNS Research International, the world’s largest provider of custom research and analysis, was commissioned by American International Assurance Co (AIA).
It found that 77 percent of Taiwanese expressed the desire to lose weight, compared with a regional average of 54 percent across 15 Asian markets.
That made Taiwan next only to Macau, where 78 percent of respondents considered themselves overweight, and ahead of South Korea at 75 percent and Hong Kong at 70 percent, the survey found.
Most Taiwanese aged 18 to 29 are dissatisfied with their body shape, as 78 percent in the bracket longed to be slimmer, far outnumbering their peers in other countries, the survey showed.
About 73 percent of young South Koreans desired to lose weight, followed by their Hong Kong counterparts at 68 percent, the survey added.
The findings suggest Taiwanese adults are more conscious of obesity than the rest of the region, the survey said.
Fan Hao-yi (范豪益), a family doctor at Taipei Medical University Hospital, said young people in Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong overemphasized the importance of body weight based on the survey.
“I don’t think the problem [of being overweight] is that serious in Taiwan,” Fan said. “Image, rather than health concerns probably drive this desire to be slimmer.”
Fan said the body mass index (BMI), defined as an individual’s body weight divided by the square of their height, is a better indicator of fitness than body weight or body shape.
Slim people may have higher BMI scores than their heavier counterparts who maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise, Fan said.
A BMI value of 18.5 to 24 may indicate optimal weight, he said. A BMI below 20 suggests the person is underweight, while a number above 25 may indicate the person is overweight.
To stay fit, people should maintain a balanced, healthy diet, as well as regular exercise, Fan said.
Many Taiwanese, or 59 percent, do not exercise regularly, compared with the regional average of 52 percent, the survey found, adding that 42 percent exercised less than an hour a week, on par with the regional average.
While Taiwanese generally appreciate the importance of a healthy diet, 85 percent equate the concept with drinking more water, the survey said.
The survey also showed that Taiwanese adults sleep 6.6 hours a day, slightly lower than the 6.8 hours a day for the region and shorter than the ideal target of 8 hours.
While some work too long, more young adults sacrifice sleep in order to play online games or surf the Internet, Fan said.
“In the pursuit of healthy living, it is more important to exercise regularly and maintain a balanced diet, than fixing one’s attention on body weight,” the doctor said.
LIABILITIES MULLED: New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi said Taipei would find out if the firm was legally registered, the guide was licensed and the weather was assessed The assets of Tian Da Local Nature Co are to be frozen after at least four people died after falling into the Beishi River (北勢溪) on an outing the company had organized on Saturday, the Taipei City Government said yesterday. Six people — two adults and four children — were washed away by a flash flood on the river in New Taipei City’s Hubaotan (虎豹潭) area. They were participating in a Nature Joy Camp outdoor activity with a group of 16 adults and 15 children led by a guide surnamed Su (蘇). As of 4:30pm yesterday, four of the missing had been
Taiwanese worked more hours than people in all but three other countries in the world last year, Ministry of Labor data showed. Singapore placed first in average hours worked among the 40 economies surveyed, with an average of 2,288 hours per worker last year, the data showed. The city-state was followed by Colombia with 2,172 hours — based on 2019 data — and Mexico with 2,124 hours, it showed. Taiwan came in fourth, with 2,021 hours, it showed. South Korean workers clocked the third-most hours in Asia, with 1,908 hours, followed by Japan with 1,598 hours, it showed. However, compared with 2019, the survey found
The US 7th Fleet yesterday confirmed that a US Navy ship transited the Taiwan Strait on Thursday and Friday. “The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Dewey [DDG 105] conducted a Taiwan Strait transit in cooperation with Royal Canadian Navy [RCN] Halifax-class frigate, HMCS Winnipeg, October 14-15, 2021,” the US 7th Fleet said in a statement. “Dewey’s and Winnipeg’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Cooperation like this represents the centerpiece of our approach to a secure and prosperous region,” it added. The transit marked the
‘COUNTERPRODUCTIVE’: The German, French and Singaporean missions said that Taiwan’s COVID-19 restrictions are hindering local projects and business operations Several foreign missions in Taiwan have urged the government to ease its strict COVID-19 border controls, which they say are hurting in-person exchanges and business operations. The missions made the appeal in response to media inquiries on how the border controls have affected their respective countries’ exchanges with Taiwan, amid growing concerns voiced privately by Taiwan-based foreign offices and businesses regarding the restrictions. Taiwan has maintained strict entry requirements since March last year, generally prohibiting most arrivals except for citizens and foreign residents, while it has required those who enter the country to undergo a stringent 14-day quarantine. Although the rules have been
RSS