Lazy Lion Gets HK Moving

With his endearing appearance, Lazy Lion portrays the impact of physical inactivity on a person’s health. He has come up with many reasons and excuses to avoid doing some exercise.

Centre for Health Protection Senior Medical & Health Officer Dr Karen Lee explained that when people interact with mascots it generally leaves a positive impression on them. This inspired the team to create a mascot that was an “anti-hero” promoting an active lifestyle as an inactive character.

“Lazy Lion is a reflection of the (sedentary) lifestyle of our population, where we are often similar to Lazy Lion. We always find (an) excuse not to do physical activities. We also took the time in designing Lazy Lion’s physical shape ensuring that he has a protruding stomach to represent problems of central obesity in Hong Kong.”

They also hoped that such a cute character would resonate with people of all ages and show them that if Lazy Lion could change his ways, so could they.

Fitness motivator

To boost Lazy Lion’s popularity in the community, the Centre for Health Protection created an upbeat theme song with punchy lyrics for him, to encourage residents to get up and move.

The Department of Health launched the large-scale “HEALTHY HONG KONG 2025 | Move for Health" Campaign, with Lazy Lion as its mascot in December 2018, to help prevent non-communicable diseases by encouraging people to exercise more.

World Health Organization guidelines recommend that children and youths aged five to 17 should do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day, while adults aged 18 or above should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.

“I would encourage our general population to incorporate physical activities in their daily life, such as (walking) more. They also can help with the housework. For example, they can help to clean the windows and also to mop the floor, and also take care of the children,” Dr Lee said.

In addition to helping out around the home, people can take part in flash mobs and roadshows organised under the campaign.

It is also easy to keep up to date with what Lazy Lion is up to through his social media accounts.