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The Physical Health Law of the People's Republic of China was adopted in 1995. In the same year, the State Council promulgated the Outline of Nationwide Physical Fitness Program, followed by a series of rules and regulations. A survey released by the State Physical Culture Administration indicates that at present nearly 40 percent of the total population aged between 7 and 70 take exercise and more than 60 percent of urban residents go to sports clubs for physical fitness activities. By the end of 2005, 37 percent of China's total population had taken part in regular physical exercise, and over 95 percent of students reached the National Physical Exercise Standard.

 

Aiming to improve the health and the physical condition of the general population, the Nationwide Physical Fitness Program, with an emphasis on young people and children, encourages everyone to engage in at least one sport activity every day, learn at least two ways of keeping fit and have a health examination every year.

In this 15-year-long program, the government aims at building a sports and fitness service system for the general public. There are more than 850,000 gymnasiums and stadiums across China at present, most of them open to and widely used by the general public. Outdoor fitness centers have been installed in urban communities, public parks, squares, roadside and other convenient locations, equipped with fitness equipment and facilities in various forms.

 

The government has stipulated that 60 percent of the proceeds from the sports lottery must go to the Nationwide Physical Fitness Program. Making use of the lottery proceeds, the State Physical Culture Administration had constructed about 6,000 nationwide physical fitness projects throughout rural areas by the end of 2005. Starting from 2001, the Administration earmarked lottery money as pilot funds to build "China Sports Lottery Nationwide Physical Fitness Centers" as pilot projects in 31 large and medium-sized cities throughout China, amongst them Dalian, Beijing and Changchun. Some are already in use.