Abstract
Lifestyle behaviours are important risk factors for non-communicable diseases. This study had identified lifestyle risk factor patterns and their development trends in Hong Kong. Over the past decades, the Hong Kong government has taken a multi-pronged approach to promoting healthy lifestyles. According to the Hong Kong Behavioural Risk Factor Surveys conducted between 2004 and 2016, most Hong Kong adults were living with multiple lifestyle risk factors. Although the average alcohol intake among males persistently and significantly decreased and the prevalence of smoking among both males and females also decreased, the average alcohol intake among females persistently and significantly increased and the prevalence of drinking among both males and females was rapidly growing in more recent years. Although changes in the average time spent doing physical activities were non-significant, the prevalence of doing sufficient physical activity among both males and females persistently expanded. The constant population shift toward a lifestyle of eating insufficient fruit and vegetables and drinking alcohol among both males and females was observed. Despite more recent investigations indicated decreased alcohol consumption, other lifestyle factors have remained to be health concerns. Strategic intervention policy changes targeting a balance of multiple lifestyle factors among different lifestyle groups instead of a single particular risk factor are urgently needed to reverse the unhealthy population lifestyle trends.
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Thanks go to Department of Health of the Hong Kong SAR Government for providing the Behavioural Risk Factor Survey data.
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Chan, W.F.M., Yip, C.S.C. (2023). Lifestyle Risk Factor Patterns and Development Trends in Hong Kong. In: Fong, B.Y.F., Wong, W.C.W. (eds) Gaps and Actions in Health Improvement from Hong Kong and Beyond. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4491-0_11
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