Experts highlight health risks of modern lifestyle habits

To mark the beginning of China's national health lifestyle promotion month, medical experts have talked about the health risks associated with modern lifestyle habits, such as reliance on food deliveries, sugary drinks, excessive lounging and compulsive shopping.

Monday's media briefing, which was organized by the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission with the assistance of the Shanghai Health Promotion Center, aimed to raise awareness about such behaviors and the underlying psychological factors that may lead to them.

Wu Jiang, director of the clinical nutrition department at Shanghai Huadong Hospital, emphasized the dangers of sugary drinks. She noted that individuals who consume beverages like milk tea daily risk obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and accelerated aging.

"I would advise a gradual reduction in sugar consumption, using healthier alternatives and the identification of triggers to change habits," Wu said, suggesting activities like walking or listening to music as healthier ways to cope with stress or boredom.

Qiao Ying, a chief physician at the Shanghai Mental Health Center, discussed the psychological aspects of compulsive shopping. She explained that behaviors such as filling wardrobes with unworn clothes and stockpiling expired goods stem from a lack of security, emotional needs and consumer culture influences.

She pointed out that these seemingly independent behaviors, including dependence on sugary drinks, excessive lounging and compulsive shopping, are actually a type of collective response to the high-pressure, fast-paced nature of modern society. "They serve as a form of psychological compensation, providing a sense of control and pleasure," Qiao said.

Experts said that solutions lie in people reconstructing the framework of their lives.

"When individuals find achievement in work, a sense of belonging in relationships, and excellent experience in leisure activities, those compensatory dependencies will naturally diminish," added Qiao.