Taipei Schools Falter on Student Fitness; Obesity, Poor Vision Rates Rise

Taipei City Councilor Wang Chih-ping has raised serious concerns regarding the health of the city's students, highlighting that a significant portion of schools are failing to meet basic physical fitness standards. The "150+" initiative, designed to promote exercise and healthy habits among students, appears to be falling short, with one-third of schools not reaching the 60% target for fitness.

More alarmingly, the data reveals a substantial number of students struggling with obesity and poor vision. An average of 30,000 students annually are obese, and this figure escalates with higher educational levels, from elementary to high school. Similarly, over 160,000 students have vision problems, with rates climbing significantly from elementary to high school.

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Taipei City promotes the "150+" plan to promote exercise and health among high school students and below. This year, one-third of schools have not reached the 60% low target.

The Taipei City Education Bureau has responded by stating its commitment to the program and its ongoing review. They also point to complementary nutrition policies, such as free lunches and milk, as part of a multi-pronged approach to student well-being. However, the stark figures presented by Councilor Wang suggest that current policies may not be effectively translating into tangible health improvements for the city's youth.

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The Taipei City Education Bureau responded that it continues to implement and review the current plan, and combines nutrition policies such as free lunches and milk supply to help maintain students' physical health.