Press Release

Reminder for a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival

21 September, 2004

Members of the public are today (September 21) reminded to take precautions against burns and to pay attention to healthy eating during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

A spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) said, "People especially children like to play lanterns when they go moon viewing. Parents should remind children not to play with fire or engage in wax burning. Water should not be spread over burning wax as sparkles in high temperature can cause burns."

"Burns leave permanent scars. Medical treatment cannot restore the appearance of damaged skin tissues. Severe burns can result in the formation of scars or keloids that are bad looking. They can even lead to joint contracture, joint deformity and difficulty in movement," he said.

The spokesman reminded parents to teach their children of precautions against burns. Combustibles should be properly stored. Children should not be allowed to play with light-up candles or lanterns on their own. It is not advisable to hang a candle-lit lantern on a tree because it may be blown sideways or even down from the tree to cause fire.

"If unfortunately one suffers from burns, the wound should be washed under running tap water or bathe in cold water for about 10 minutes for cooling. Accessories and tight clothing around the wound can be taken off gently. It is important to seek medical advice promptly," he said.

In addition, delicious seasonal foods such as moon cakes and fruits add festivity to Mid-Autumn. However, it is important to maintain healthy eating. Nutritional information shows that each double yolk lotus seed paste moon cake (about 190 grams) equals to six tablespoons of sugar and 10 teaspoons of oil. It has as high as 800 Kcal of energy which equals to one plate of rice with cubed pork and sweet corn sauce, one bowl of vegetable soup and one cup of iced milk tea. Each salted duck egg yolk has a cholesterol content that is double that of an egg yolk.

Over-eating of moon cakes is not advisable. The recommended daily upper limit is one-fourth of a regular-sized moon cake. People who have chronic diseases such as high cholesterol level, hypertension and diabetes should avoid eating moon cakes or seek doctor's advice on the allowed portion before consumption. Fruits are healthier seasonal food but we should still avoid over-consumption of fruits, in particular durians, lai-chees and grapes which are high in sugar and calories content.

The spokesman said, "After purchasing moon cakes, we should always keep the lid closed and the package cleaned after opening. Moon cakes should be stored in refrigerator and not be left in room temperature for more than two hours. Moon cakes, especially snowy moon cakes or ice cream moon cakes, should be stored in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth and hence food poisoning. It is also important to finish eating before the expiry date. "

To promote public awareness in preventing burns, newly-designed posters and banners will be displayed at MTR, KCR and light rail stations, schools, kindergartens, supermarkets, community halls, public housing estates, district offices, public libraries under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, barbecue sites in country parks under the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, DH's clinics and health centres as well as non-government organizations.

Members of the public may call the health education hotline 2833 0111 or visit the Central Health Education Unit's website http://www.cheu.gov.hk for related information.