More than 92 percent of Hong Kong students aren’t exercising enough, a new study has found.
The findings came as the special administrative region government prepares to include pupils’ performance at physical education classes into their overall school assessment, starting from the 2026/27 academic year.
Researchers found that only 7.4 percent of 1,476 primary school pupils and 1,929 secondary students surveyed last year met the World Health Organization’s benchmark for physical activity, which recommends that individuals aged 17 and younger engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise daily.
In the previous school year, it was found that 7.9 percent of those surveyed met the WHO’s requirement.
In the latest findings, just 3.5 percent of secondary students managed to meet the benchmark - up from the previous level of 2.6 percent.
The worrying figures were part of a study conducted by the Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong and The University of Hong Kong’s Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine. The results were announced on Saturday.
It was also found that girls and students in higher grades were among those with the worst performance in this regard. According to the findings, only 6.1 percent of primary school girls met the daily requirement, compared to about 20 percent of their male counterparts.
For secondary school students, the figures dropped to 2.7 percent for girls and 3.9 percent for boys.
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Additionally, the research showed that Hong Kong schoolchildren exhibited the weakest handgrip strength compared to peers from the Chinese mainland, the Middle East and South Asia. Notably, the handgrip strength of 12-year-old boys decreased from 19.5 kg in 2015 to 18.4 kg in 2023.
Lead researcher Patrick Ip Pak-keung expressed concern that parents are increasingly prioritizing academic performance over quality physical activities for their children after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Physical training and developing a strong physique are equally essential,” said Ip, a professor at HKU’s Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. “Without good health and fitness, children may struggle to excel academically.”
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of the School Physical Fitness Award Scheme in the SAR. The initiative is aimed at promoting physical fitness and healthy lifestyles among students, and encourages schools to implement physical fitness programs and activities, fostering a culture of regular exercise and physical well-being.
Speaking at an event marking the program’s contributions, Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin reiterated the government’s plan to make pupils’ physical education performance part of their overall school assessment.
Addressing an audience of 8,000 school administrators and students, she said 650 schools and more than 200,000 primary and secondary students have benefitted since the program started in 1990.
Choi emphasized that cultivating a consistent exercise habit from an early age is crucial for long-term health, and is one of the most valuable investments individuals can make for themselves.
The education chief also stressed the significance of exercising in strengthening mental health, saying it fosters perseverance, willpower and resilience.
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“All these qualities are not innate. They must be developed through ongoing training and overcoming challenges,” she said.
