Seniors exercise in a community rehabilitation center at Hemu New Village in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. XING YI/CHINA DAILY

Chinese health literacy levels increased to 23.2 percent last year, up 6.1 percentage points on 2018, an official with the National Health Commission said on July 16.

This suggests that 23 out of every 100 people now have basic health-related knowledge and skills according to the commission.

Mao Qun'an, director of the commission's department of Planning and Information, also said that China has improved health interventions since it issued nationwide disease control and health promotion guidelines in June 2019.

The guidelines proposed the creation of 15 special campaigns to improve the nation's overall health, ranging from disseminating health-related information and stepping up tobacco control, to improving dietary habits and mental health.

Mao said incidence rates for major chronic diseases, like cancer and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as key infectious diseases in hard-hit regions, have since been reined in.

However, he said unhealthy behavior, including tobacco use and the lack of exercise, are still widespread, and more effort is needed to address these issues.