DH launches “Healthy Hong Kong 2025 | Move for Health” Campaign

     The Department of Health (DH) officially launched the "Healthy Hong Kong 2025 | Move for Health" Campaign today (December 8). Under the campaign, various activities will be held across the territory in the coming year to encourage the public to "move for health" and increase their physical activity to build an active lifestyle and prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
 
     The campaign is a core programme under "Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong" (SAP) announced by the Food and Health Bureau (FHB) and the DH in May this year. The Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of NCD chaired by the Secretary for Food and Health has made reference to the World Health Organization's strategy and guidelines in formulating the SAP, under which nine local targets to be achieved by 2025 and a series of strategies and measures to tackle NCDs were set out.
 
     Speaking at the launch event, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said that unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical activity, smoking and alcohol drinking are the major causes of NCDs. At least a third of NCDs can be prevented through adopting a healthy lifestyle. The threat of NCDs must not be ignored as serious impacts would be imposed on people's quality of living, healthcare system, productivity and economic development, he added.
 
     Mr Cheung said, "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has all along supported creating an environment supportive of healthy living. Members of the pubic are actively encouraged to develop a healthy lifestyle, such as having a diet with less oil, salt, sugar and meat but more fruits and vegetables, increasing the amount of physical activity and staying away from tobacco and alcohol.
 
     "Government bureaux and departments are setting an example by encouraging their staff members and the public to adopt a healthy lifestyle to reduce the threat of NCD risk factors to their health. This will set a model for other businesses and organisations to follow."
 
     Other officiating guests at the launch event were the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; the Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li; the Commissioner for Labour, Mr Carlson Chan; the Director of Broadcasting, Mr Leung Ka-wing; the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the DH, Dr Wong Ka-hing; the Commissioner for Sports, Mr Yeung Tak-keung; and the Deputy Secretary for Education, Mr Woo Chun-sing.
 
     Along with the launch of the one-year "Healthy Hong Kong 2025 | Move for Health" Campaign today, the DH has produced a series of publicity materials to promote a healthy lifestyle to the public to help prevent NCDs. These include a new announcement in the public interest for broadcast on TV, radio and social media platforms.
 
     To further encourage community participation, the DH is also inviting District Councils to make use of its newly launched "Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong" Community Engagement Funding Scheme to organise community health promotion activities in various districts in the coming year. It is hoped that synergy can be created to build and strengthen the sustainable and supportive environment, atmosphere, habits and culture at the district level to promote healthy living.
 
     At the launch event, the DH also unveiled the campaign mascot Lazy Lion, who was joined by Mr Cheung and other officiating guests in dancing along to the campaign theme song to share the fun of exercising with participants.
 
     The name of Lazy Lion refers to the mascot's laziness, which has stopped him from going outdoors and doing exercise – echoing some Hong Kong people's excuses and reasons for not doing any exercise.
 
     In the TV commercial premiered at the launch, Lazy Lion gradually makes changes to his lifestyle for the sake of better health and starts to "move for health" by helping with the housework, climbing stairs and doing stretches. It is hoped that by arousing the public's empathy with Lazy Lion, who originally didn't like exercising at all, members of the public will be motivated to take the first step to "move for health" and in the long run make physical activity part of their daily lives.
 
     The campaign theme song is sung by musician and songwriter Mr Hanjin Tan, featuring a lively rhythm to encourage people from all walks of life to exercise more. For more information on the campaign, please visit the DH's Change for Health website (www.change4health.gov.hk).
 
     Lazy Lion will continue to encourage the public to develop an active lifestyle by various means. Please follow his Facebook (www.facebook.com/lazylionhk) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/lazylionhk) pages for his latest moves.