Accessing the Internet for entertainment has become one of the major leisure activities for Chinese adolescents, according to a survey by the Ministry of Health.

The survey, done among 12,671 students from grade seven to seniors in schools and universities in nine provinces and municipalities including Beijing, northern Shanxi Province and southwestern Sichuan Province, found Internet surfing was only after doing homework and socializing with friends among their after-school activities, followed by reading, watching TV and sports.

The survey jointly launched by the China Association for Science and Technology in May also showed teenagers were not so enthusiastic about activities about culture and technology.

The survey was released on the World Mental Health Day which fell on Saturday.

The MOH's theme for this year was to urge the reasonable and appropriate use of the Internet.

World Mental Health Day was initiated by World Psychiatric Association in 1992.

(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2009)