"You have starch-type obesity, different from the fat-type obesity common in Europeans. It's evident from your physique—something many people don't realize," said Gu Jianwen, a CPPCC member and director of PLA General Hospital No. 306, to a reporter on site. The reporter responded in surprise: "But I just love eating rice and noodles."
During a recent CPPCC group discussion, Member Gu Jianwen called for establishing a comprehensive dietary education system and implementing nationwide nutrition education. This sparked significant media attention.
"Diabetes, hypertension, obesity—many diseases of modern civilization stem from overeating, poor dietary combinations, and nutritional imbalances. Yet we lack education on how to eat properly.If we teach children what to eat and how to eat, they can develop healthy eating habits from childhood, preventing many illnesses. I suggest adopting Japan's dietary education system to teach children proper eating practices. Of course, adults also need to learn and change their unhealthy eating habits." Gu emphasized, "Currently, people add excessive amounts of oil, salt, seasonings, and even additives when cooking—these practices must change.I propose launching nationwide dietary education, integrating food literacy into education, healthcare, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, and every stage of food production, processing, distribution, and sales. This approach promotes mindful eating, encourages exercise, reduces medication costs, and safeguards health."
"Dietary education is foundational for holistic physical and mental development and enriching human nature," Gu Jianwen stated. "First, eating is a fundamental life skill ensuring balanced and adequate nutrient intake.Dietary education helps people develop correct knowledge and practical skills regarding food selection, identification, cultivation, acquisition, cooking, preparation, as well as food utensils, eating habits, and dietary cultural appreciation. "More importantly, dietary education significantly influences character development. For adults, establishing proper dietary concepts and cultivating sound food selection abilities are particularly crucial for maintaining health."
Furthermore, dietary education encourages people to connect with nature, teaching respect and conservation. Promoting such education fosters symbiotic exchanges between urban and rural areas, mountain villages, and fishing communities, building positive interactions. Food is paramount to the people, and China has valued nutrition since ancient times. Gu Jianwen also noted that advancing dietary education better preserves and promotes traditional Chinese culinary culture.