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Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, many changes have taken place in China over the past half century. Whereas China has made phenomenal strides both economically and geopolitically, it has also undergone dramatic changes in the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD). People in China used to be known for their lean body build, low plasma cholesterol levels and low incidence of CHD [1]. Now all has changed; CHD in China has climbed from the fifth most common form of heart disease in 1949–1957 (6%) to the second most common in 1958–1968 (16%) and rising again in 1969–1979 (26%) to become the most common in 1980–1989 (27%) where it remains until today [1]. What are the risk factors responsible for this drastic change in modern China?

In order to evaluate the physiological profile of elite badminton players, 54 males and 26 females, members of Czech senior and junior national teams had been examined by an incremental maximum treadmill exercise test (with constant 5% inclination, increment 1 km/h per min) at the end of the preparatory period. VO 2 max in junior male players (n=29, mean age 17.2± (SD 1.2) years) and in senior male players (n=25, 21.3±2.2 years) attained 64.6±4.3 and 63.2±3.7 ml/kg/min, respectively. In female players, there were also no differences in VO 2 max in junior (n=16, 17.6±0.8 years) and senior (n=10, 24.5±2.5 years) players: 54.9±2.5 and 55.2±2.6 ml/kg/min, respectively. The players were subdivided into internationally (IP) and nationally (NP) ranked subgroups. A comparison had shown that both male and female IP had lower body fat (p 2 max maximum running speed or T vent . The study indicates that elite badminton is associated with relatively low body fat and lean body build, both in males and females. Maximum treadmill exercise test in badminton players may provide basic physical condition data necessary to elite performance (eg, VO 2 max above 60 and 52 ml/kg/min, in male and female player, respectively). However, the results of laboratory treadmill testing seem to be a poor predictor with regard to the ability relative to internationally and/or nationally badminton game-play performance.