Hangzhou, capital of the eastern Zhejiang province, has passed a municipal health ordinance partially directed at residents’ weight loss, in line with China’s battle against obesity. The city is the first to codify the nation’s three-year weight management initiative into local measures. 

The ordinance, which will take effect Jan. 1, states that local health authorities will periodically monitor residents’ health and develop targeted programs for groups, particularly children and the elderly. Both the city and district governments will also be required to expand public fitness programs and facilities.

Schools, child care centers, hospitals, and elderly care institutions will now be required to employ nutritionists or dietitians, while schools and universities are encouraged to keep sports venues open during off-hours, such as winter break.

The city will also implement a credit-based incentive system that rewards residents for participating in health- and fitness-related activities, with credits redeemable for classes and services at medical, sports, and educational facilities.

The policy further urges food producers to develop low-salt, low-fat, and low-sugar products with clear labeling. Retailers, restaurants, and workplaces are encouraged to offer healthier options and label calories and nutrients, while canteens should provide balanced meals.

The new regulation follows China’s inaugural nationwide weight management campaign, launched in June of last year, which triggered a series of state-led initiatives including the opening of weight management clinics at hospitals across the country and the development of a homegrown obesity drug.

Hangzhou’s ordinance represents the first step forward in translating the national initiative into regional action. 

Ren Luying, a lawyer at Guangdong Huibang Law Firm in the southern metropolis of Shenzhen, told Sixth Tone that city-level legislation tailors policies to local needs, providing clearer standards and improved enforcement. 

The announcement of the policy has triggered online debate, with some voicing support for Hangzhou’s efforts and others questioning whether the law should govern body weight.

The controversy mainly relates to how far regulators and lawmakers can go in regulating personal health, Ren said. 

She explained that the rationale for this legislation is that when obesity becomes a major public health burden, it can no longer be treated as a purely private matter.

In 2025, 41% of Chinese adults were classified as overweight or obese, according to a report by the World Obesity Federation, a partner to the World Health Organization. That figure is projected to rise to 515 million by 2030.

Multiple studies have found that excess body weight is associated with a higher risk of chronic conditions, including high blood pressure, fatty liver, diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

“Regulators have an obligation to protect citizens’ right to health,” Ren said, adding that she cautioned against policies turning controlling, intrusive, or leading to health-based discrimination.

“Whether (the policy) succeeds will depend on whether detailed rules can strike the best balance between public health benefits and individual freedom and dignity,” she said.

Editor: Marianne Gunnarsson.

(Header image: Visuals from Shijue/VCG, reedited by Sixth Tone)