China plans to increase the hours of physical education in schools, making it a major subject instead of a minor, authorities said in a bid to promote more “holistic education” amid growing concern over rising cases of childhood obesity.

Primary and middle schools should ensure that physical education teachers are treated “in the same way as their colleagues who teach Chinese language, English and maths, and increase their efforts to include key sports in their curriculum, such as football, basketball and volleyball,” the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing the education ministry.

“These measures are part of a broader effort to take a more holistic approach to education, integrating physical fitness with schooling so that students are multifaceted individuals prepared for the future,” the ministry said.

The measures were decided after Chinese authorities issued the first national plan in January to create a “nation with a strong pedagogical system” by 2035.

These include requiring primary and middle schools to teach at least two hours a day of physical education. Schools will also be required to effectively address children’s eye conditions, such as myopia, and address obesity rates.

By mid-2022 there was, nationwide, a shortage of about 120,000 physical education teachers with the problem being more acute in provincial areas, according to Xinhua, which added that the new measures would encourage the recruitment of retired athletes and military veterans to help bridge the gap.

Physical education teachers will be paid the same salary as their colleagues who teach other subjects.

Rates of obesity in young people have risen since 2019 due to reduced physical activity due to the COVID pandemic, lockdowns, and the habit of children ordering junk food online.

Doctors expect obesity to increase over the next 10-12 years as the economy slows and structural changes are made that lead to poor eating habits and reduced physical activity.

The rate of obese boys in China rose to 15.2% in 2022 from 1.3% in 1990, following that of the US (22%). It is also higher than the rate in Japan (6%), Britain and Canada (12%) and India (4%). Among girls, the obesity rate rose to 7.7% in 2022 from 0.6% in 1990.

“Obesity has become a serious public health issue in China and ranks sixth in the ranking of risk factors for death and disability in the country,” the National Health Commission announced in October.