(Photo/www.mnw.cn)

53.6 percent Chinese children and teenagers suffer from myopia, according to a survey unveiled by the National Health Commission (NHC) at a press conference held on Monday.

The survey, which was conducted last year, found that 81 percent of senior middle school students were nearsighted, compared with 71.6 percent in junior middle schools, 36 percent in primary schools and 14.5 percent of 6-year-olds in kindergartens.

Conducted by the NHC, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Civil Affairs, the survey covered 1.11 million students in 1,033 kindergartens and 3,810 middle and primary schools.

Factors include lack of outdoor physical activities, inadequate sleep due to heavy school work, and excessive use of electronic products. These have all caused the high rate of nearsightedness among Chinese children and teenagers.

Zhang Yong, deputy chief of NHC disease control and prevention, said that the NHC would like to cooperate with local governments and education authorities to guide medical institutions, schools and parents take measures to control and prevent nearsightedness among students.