The government has launched a citywide healthy lifestyle competition aiming to encourage residents to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Participants can earn points on their Macao One Account app after engaging in different types of healthy practices and redeem them for various types of gifts.
The competition, which is open-ended, only covers local residents. All of them, regardless of age, can join the event as long as they hold an account on the Macao One Account e-government app.
A launch ceremony for the competition was held at the Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion yesterday afternoon. After the ceremony, a press conference was held at the venue to announce details of the event.
The competition is being implemented by the Health Bureau (SSM), in collaboration with the Sports Bureau (ID), the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), and the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS). Officials from these bureaus revealed details regarding their respective roles in the competition during yesterday’s press conference.
Residents can sign up for the competition via the health management platform in the “My Health” component of their Macao One Account. As the event, free of charge, is open-ended, residents can sign up at any time.
Participants can earn points to redeem gifts by practicing four key types of healthy behaviour in their daily lives. For most of the healthy practices, the respective points will be automatically recorded in their Macao One Account. For certain practices, such as preparing a healthy diet, participants must take the required photos and upload them to the platform, in which case AI will verify whether the food is genuinely healthy in order to earn points.
The four types of healthy behaviour comprise:
1. Regular exercise, including daily walking and taking government-run sports or fitness classes;
2. A healthy diet, either by preparing a healthy meal at home or selecting healthy options when ordering takeaways;
3. Disease screening, including regular health checks and cancer screenings;
4. Vaccination, including receiving influenza jabs, or even merely reading vaccination information on their Macao One Account.
All details about the competition can be checked on its dedicated website: https://www.ssm.gov.mo/portal1/healthylifestylechallenge.
Participants can check how many points any particular healthy behaviour listed by the programme will earn on this dedicated website or via their Macao One Account.
Points are calculated quarterly and remain valid for two years. Points can be redeemed for a wide variety of gifts, including sporting goods, everyday household items, digital gadgets, shopping vouchers, dining coupons, cinema tickets, and tickets for cultural performances.
For daily walking to be converted into points for the programme, participants are required to authorise their Macao One Account to access the step counts automatically recorded by their smartphones, smart wristbands, or sports watches.
Participants can prepare a healthy meal at home and upload photos to the platform to earn points, in which case AI will verify whether the food is truly healthy in line with official standards. Alternatively, they can choose to order meals classified as healthy options on any of the three participating local online takeaway platforms, in which case the points will be automatically recorded.
Participants can also earn points by enrolling in sport or fitness classes run either by the Sports Bureau (ID) or financed by the Education and Youth Development Bureau’s (DSEDJ) continuing education programme. Those who have met the required attendance rate will have their points automatically recorded.
Participants who have undergone regular health checks or screenings for certain cancers at public healthcare institutions or certain private institutions can also earn points.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) will provide free tickets for its signature events, including certain shows in its upcoming Macao International Music Festival.
The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) has been organising various briefing sessions for different vulnerable groups, teaching them how to use their Macao One Account to join the contest and ensure that their healthy behaviours will be converted into points on the platform.
The bureau will also continue to host sessions to brief social service professionals how to teach their service users to use their Macao One Account for the competition.
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Wallis O Lam (centre), other government officials, and association representatives applaud after symbolically launching the citywide healthy lifestyle competition at the Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion yesterday. – Photo: Tony Wong
Health Bureau (SSM) Director Alvis Lo Iek Long (centre) speaks during yesterday’s press conference at the Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion as other officials look on, comprising (from left to right) Health Bureau’s Health Promotion Division chief Wong Weng Man, Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) Deputy Director Wong Ka Ki, Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) President Wilson Hon Wai, Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Deland Leong Wai Man, Sports Bureau (ID) Acting President See Lei Si Leng, and Health Bureau’s IT Department official Leong Iat Tou. – Photo: Tony Wong
