Spending long hours in front of a computer, extremely lacking in physical exercise, going to bed after 11 PM... Recently, a Weibo post titled "The 10 Most Life-Threatening Lifestyles" went viral online. A survey of 100 citizens by reporters found that all of them had the above unhealthy habits, with spending long hours in front of a computer being the most common, affecting as many as 94%. Two percent of people even exhibited all 10 habits.
The Weibo post "The 10 Most Life-Threatening Lifestyles" was widely shared.
1. Spending long hours in front of a computer;
2. Going to bed after 11 PM;
3. Not getting enough sleep;
4. Extremely lacking in physical exercise;
5. Not seeking medical help when ill;
6. Preferring heavily flavored food, especially salty and spicy dishes;
7. Eating only when hungry, sleeping only when sleepy, resting only when tired;
8. Having little communication with family;
9. Talking on the phone for long periods, enjoying close-range radiation;
10. Having irregular meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
With 8,000 reposts and 600 comments, this is the record set by the Weibo post "The 10 Most Life-Threatening Lifestyles" in just four days.
The "10 Most Life-Threatening Lifestyles" was first proposed by Professor Qiu Bo from Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine during a health lecture. He reminded people to choose a healthy lifestyle: balanced diet, moderate exercise, quitting smoking and drinking, and maintaining psychological balance. He thus suggested that modern white-collar workers should stay away from these 10 unhealthy lifestyles.
After reading it, white-collar workers who rush about every day were no longer calm. "While we work from dawn to dusk, striving to earn money, our bodies are already overburdened," exclaimed netizen Unicorn137: "I have all 10 of these—will I even make it to 30?" Another netizen, Chasing the Wind in Youth, lamented: "So I’ve been living so recklessly."
Fortunately, while lingering on this post, people also reflected: "You can have anything, but not illness." Of course, there’s another saying: "You can have nothing, but not money." When faced with the choice between money and health, many often gamble with their health in pursuit of wealth. It’s time to wake up. As netizen Laborer White Spot said: "Be kind to yourself—you can’t trade your life for money!" And netizen Following the Wind put it most realistically: "Live well, eat well, and sleep well!"
Random survey of 100 citizens, none spared
"The 10 Most Life-Threatening Lifestyles—how many do you have?" With this question, reporters conducted random interviews with 100 citizens on the streets of the provincial capital. These citizens worked in various fields such as engineers, accountants, civil servants, civil aviation ground staff, doctors, nurses, teachers, students, and salespeople, aged between 20 and 56.
The survey results showed: out of 100 people, not a single one was spared, with each person showing signs of these 10 lifestyles. The highest incidence was spending long hours in front of a computer, affecting 94 people, or 94%. This was followed by extremely lacking in physical exercise, affecting 85 people (85%); then going to bed after 11 PM, affecting 83 people (83%); irregular meals, affecting 76 people (76%); and not seeking medical help when ill, affecting 60 people (60%).
In this survey, reporters found that 15 people had 4, 5, 6, or 7 of these habits, each accounting for 15%; 10 people had 8 habits, accounting for 10%; 3 people had 9 habits, accounting for 3%; and 2 people had all 10, accounting for 2%.
Why do these unhealthy habits form? Ninety percent of respondents believed it was due to the fast pace of life and high pressure nowadays, as they strive to earn more money to improve their living standards, thereby neglecting these health risks.
The survey results are worrying, but there is some relief: 98% of respondents believed they should start paying serious attention to these issues. Although some feel helpless about their current jobs, having to work overtime daily, face computers constantly, eat irregularly, and lack time for exercise, they plan to make time in the future to avoid these bad habits. Only 2% felt that work is just like this and life must go on—it’s hard to change the current situation.
Exercising almost none throughout the year
Chen Wei, 33, design institute engineer
Survey result: 6 out of 10 habits
Chen Wei is from a rural area; he is the third of three brothers. Their parents, who worked the land from dawn to dusk, raised all three sons to become "city dwellers." After leaving the ivory tower, Chen Wei was lucky enough to become an engineer at a design institute, sitting in front of a computer every day, drawing one blueprint after another. Except for lunch, he spends most of his time with the computer. "In this city, you have to work hard because you have nothing—you have to fight for everything yourself," Chen Wei said. City life has high costs for food, housing, and education. Coming from nothing, he could only keep drawing to secure a better life in the city.
For Chen Wei, working overtime is the norm. When busy, he works 11–12 hours a day, even pulling all-nighters, with no weekends. "Sleep is simply not guaranteed!" Chen Wei said, which also gave him a habit—even when not busy, he can’t fall asleep before 11 PM. "My biological clock is set this way, and it’s hard to change!"
Faced with the survey, Chen Wei became more aware: "It’s time I started exercising!" When he first arrived in the city, he weighed only 59 kg, but now he has shot up to 79 kg. "I’m just too lazy. Usually, when I’m busy, I just want to lie on the sofa and rest when I have time. I barely exercise all year." This has also put his health at risk: obesity, fatty liver, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids. "I’ve decided to walk to and from work starting tomorrow. On weekends, as long as I’m not working overtime, I’ll go hiking. Of course, I’ll try to sleep earlier and get eight hours of sleep a day."
Lack of money and time are just excuses for not exercising.
Zhang Ling, 28, a sales representative
Survey results: 5 out of 10
“10 items, and I hit 5 of them? That’s terrifying!” Zhang Ling’s eyes behind her glasses were filled with shock and disbelief. So she checked again—and the result was the same: “spending long hours in front of a computer”; “going to bed after 11 p.m.”; “severely lacking in physical exercise”; “talking on the phone for long periods”; “irregular meal times”...
As a sales rep for health supplements, Zhang Ling racks her brains every day trying to retain existing clients and develop new ones. To do that, she also runs an online store and has to sit at her computer frequently to chat with customers. “Talking to online shoppers late at night has become routine—I can’t even guarantee eight hours of sleep. If I don’t do this, I won’t hit my sales targets and could get phased out!” Talking about her life, Zhang Ling sounds resigned. Of course, talking on the phone with clients for long periods is also unavoidable. There was a time when she even wanted to throw her phone away because her ears were always ringing, and she kept hearing it ring.
When it comes to physical exercise, Zhang Ling bluntly says, “No money, no time!” But as soon as she finishes speaking, she bursts out laughing: “Actually, those are just excuses too. Running definitely doesn’t cost anything, and if you make the time, you’ll always find some. For the sake of my health, I’ve decided to start running, cut down on time spent in front of the computer, and get into a regular sleeping routine...” Zhang Ling clenches her fist and starts designing her own health plan.