The government will be promoting national sports through four major strategies outlined by President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) at the fourth Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee meeting this Thursday. The administration’s goal is to increase the average life expectancy from 79 to 82 years old within eight years and the number of physically active people by 15% between 2021 and 2030.
The strategies include creating a social atmosphere around sports, building a supportive environment, enhancing people’s awareness of independent health, and integrating information systems.
The WHO has indicated that insufficient physical activity is one of the four major risk factors for non-communicable diseases, Lai pointed out. He underlined that regular physical activity has significant benefits for both physical and mental health, yet according to Taiwan’s 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), less than half of the population meets the WHO’s recommended 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.
Lai emphasized that Taiwan’s various medical and public health policies and experience can be used to promote international exchanges, contributing significantly to international systems. He pointed out that Health Minister Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) is leading Taiwan’s World Health Assembly action team to show the world its rich experience in the health and medical fields.