Exploring Modern Chinese Health Habits: Trends, Changes, and the Role of Socioeconomic Factors

Health behaviors in China signify intricate interactions among various structural dynamics, resulting in complex and transforming patterns. Utilizing data from the 2004-2015 China Health and Nutrition Survey (N = 9,986), this research identifies underlying health behaviors, monitors transitional patterns, and examines socioeconomic inequalities in these changes. Three unique lifestyle types arise: ‘high risk’, ‘generally healthy yet inactive’, and ‘modernized and active’. Remarkably, the dominant trend favors the ‘generally healthy yet inactive’ lifestyle, which has been gradually increasing over time, followed by the ‘high-risk’ category. In contrast, the ‘modernized and active’ lifestyle, despite being the least prevalent, shows a slight decline. Individuals working in primary industries are more inclined to uphold a generally healthy yet inactive lifestyle. Socioeconomic benefits, especially in terms of education and income, were associated with either maintaining or shifting towards a modernized and active lifestyle, while lower income and joblessness were more prone to retaining high-risk behaviors. These results shed light on the complex dynamics of health behaviors in China’s swiftly changing environment, emphasizing socioeconomic impacts on lifestyle transitions.