The Beijing city government issued its first annual public health report since 1949 on May 14, 2010. The report, which covers the year 2009, analyzes the incidence of infectious and chronic diseases, children's health issues and the effects of smoking and alcohol.

Life expectancy in Beijing is 80.47 years - 7 years higher than the national average. But the rates of hypertension and diabetes, at 30.3 percent and 8.6 percent, are the highest in China.

The three most common causes of death in the capital are cancer, heart disease and strokes - together accounting for 73.06 percent of deaths. Lung cancer and liver cancer are the most common tumors, highlighting the deadly effects of tobacco and alcohol.

Overall 29 percent of Beijingers smoke, but among men, the rate is 54 percent.

Some infectious diseases are becoming more widespread – including H1N1 flu and hand-foot-and-mouth disease. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is thought to be spread by increased migration into the capital.

The obesity rate among middle and primary school students is 19.51 percent and 59.09 percent suffer from defective eyesight. Both numbers are increasing, no doubt because students are given excessive homework and fail to take adequate exercise.

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