The incidence of diabetes among Beijing residents is 7.7 percent higher than the national average, China Radio International reported Friday.

This was announced by the director of teh Beijing Diabetes Prevention bureau, Yang Jingkui, at an activity to mark World Diabetes Day.

He added that the high proportion of diabetics is caused by approximately 60% of Beijing residents being overweight.

Since 1996, the prevalence of diabetes among adults over the age of 20 in China's big cities has increased from 4.6 percent to 6.4 percent.