Nowadays, chronic diseases are the leading causes of death worldwide. Exercise has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of many chronic conditions. In 2019, Changzhou initiated an integrated approach that combines physical exercise and medical treatment. In the first-phase program of a three-month exercise intervention, 212 people with chronic conditions participated in designated “PE lessons� three times a week as well as follow-up medical checkups. Among them, 100 individuals with overweight or obesity had shown significant improvements in health indicators, 39 of whom fell within the normal range of weight for their ages; 90% of the 58 participants with hyperlipidemia had improved their health indicators, of whom eight persons had their HDL levels fall under the normal range; 86% of the 47 participants with dyslipidemia had shown significant improvements in relevant indicators, of whom 16 individuals had their cholesterol levels fall within the normal range.

The second phase of the program has started in May this year, involving participants with three major chronic illnesses: type 2 diabetes (T2D), dyslipidemia (overweight or obesity induced) and hypertension. Compared with the first-phase project, there is a wider range of sports activities in the second phase, including indoor cycling, kickboxing, pedal exercise and full-body workout routine.