Healthy China
The health benefits of the Olympic Games fall broadly into the following categories: improved capacity in medical services required for the Olympic Games; a strengthened public health system, particularly in Beijing, including disease surveillance, risk management and health emergency response; and increased health awareness among athletes, visitors and host country residents thanks to successful health education campaigns prior to and during the Olympic Games.
Numerous campaign activities were carried out to advocate for a healthy lifestyle, disseminate health messages, and raise awareness about health-related issues, such as the importance of physical activity, the health hazards of active and passive smoking, anti-doping, and HIV/AIDS stigmatisation. These included the Chinese government’s designation of 8 August – the day of the Opening Ceremony of Beijing 2008 – as National Fitness Day, which involves numerous Fitness For All campaigns and activities.
The impact was felt far beyond the athletes, visitors and host city residents, reaching people all over China, with more Chinese people playing sport at grassroots level as a result. For example, over 50% of Beijing residents engaged in sport and physical exercise on regular basis in 2020.