LettersBMI a starting point, not whole story, of Hong Kong’s weight management plan
Readers discuss the government’s weight management action plan, and the changes to the HK$2 fare concession scheme
The Department of Health shares a common goal with our community: the well-being of everyone in Hong Kong. We truly welcome feedback and perspectives which help raise awareness and bring us closer to a shared understanding of what matters most for health.
We recognise that health is far more than a number on a scale, and that being underweight or overweight can carry real health risks. That is why in the Action Plan on Weight Management, we use Body Mass Index (BMI) not as the whole story, but as a practical starting point – a simple tool to help us understand broad trends in clinics, schools and communities.
BMI should not be used alone. For instance, our Weight Management Compass, an evolving tool under the action plan, pairs BMI with measures of central obesity such as waist circumference (90cm for men and 80cm for women), so more people can access and benefit from a fuller view of their health.
The action plan reflects our shared understanding that weight management is not simply a matter of personal discipline. It is part of a larger effort to address non-communicable diseases by building supportive environments – in schools, in workplaces, and across our city – where healthy eating and regular physical activity can flourish.