KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 — Health professionals are warning of the rise in sugar-related diseases in Malaysia, amidst a rising weight problems epidemic within the nation.
Citing a current examine, Dr Kayatri Govindaraju, Head of Department of Pharmaceutical Life Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, mentioned the weight problems fee in Malaysia is at 50.1 per cent.
“We’re witnessing a transparent rise in weight problems. A current examine by Chong et al., 2023, highlighted the prevalence of chubby amongst Malaysian adults stands at 50.1 per cent. We rank among the many highest in Asean nations on this regard. As weight problems is strongly linked to numerous metabolic diseases reminiscent of diabetes and hypertension, it’s no shock that diabetes charges are additionally rising,” she instructed eNews Malaysia.
“According to a nationwide survey report in Malaysia in 2019, diabetes is anticipated to have an effect on seven million Malaysian adults aged 18 and older by 2025, posing a major public well being threat with a diabetes prevalence of 31.3 per cent (Akhtar et Al.,2022),” she mentioned.
The authorities’s Sugar Reduction Advocacy Plan, spearheaded by former well being minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa, goals to increase consciousness concerning the perils of extreme sugar consumption.
It was launched after it was decided that the price of treating diabetes alone reached RM4.38 billion a 12 months in 2017 in contrast to RM2.04 billion in 2011, and has straight affected the productiveness degree of the nation’s workforce.
Dr Malathi Karupiah, advisor endocrinologist at Prince Court Medical Centre, mentioned diabetes has turn into a pervasive well being concern in Malaysia, affecting not solely older adults however more and more, the youthful inhabitants.
With an estimated one in 5 adults bothered, translating to roughly 3.9 million people aged 18 and above, the prevalence of diabetes continues to rise unchecked.
Shedding mild on the character of diabetes, she mentioned it usually went undetected till identified via medical screenings. She emphasised the pressing want for widespread consciousness campaigns, significantly focusing on the extreme consumption of sugar-laden drinks generally present in native stalls and night time markets.
“Diabetes is a silent killer and also you’ll solely know you could have it upon doing a medical check-up. In our stalls, our scorching drinks style good not solely as a result of they’ve sugar however the utilization of condensed milk is excessive. Same goes for pasar malam drinks,” she instructed eNews Malaysia.
Public Health Physician Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar mentioned the inhabitants’s sugar consumption remained alarmingly excessive on common. This extra sugar consumption is not only about satisfying a candy tooth, nevertheless it additionally a major contributor to the rising charges of chubby and weight problems throughout all age teams, he mentioned.
With an estimated one in 5 adults bothered, translating to roughly 3.9 million people aged 18 and above, the prevalence of diabetes continues to rise unchecked.
These situations, in flip, amplify the chance of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), together with diabetes.
“The hyperlink between sugar consumption and NCDs like diabetes is simple. High-calorie diets laden with sugar not solely contribute to weight achieve but in addition exacerbate well being situations that may lead to power diseases,” mentioned Dr Zainal.
“By decreasing our consumption of sugar, each people and the nation as an entire can mitigate the prevalence and burden of NCDs. This discount isn’t only a matter of private well being; it’s a public well being crucial with far-reaching implications for the well-being of Malaysian society.”
Based on the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019 the prevalence of diabetes by ethnicity for adults above the age of 18 goes like this. The Indians are most inclined to diabetes at 31.4 per cent adopted by the Malays (22.6 per cent) and Chinese (15.1 per cent).
Adopting worldwide sugar discount Initiatives
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim final 12 months instructed all ministries to cut back sugar consumption at gatherings, following information of Malaysia being prime of the record for diabetes circumstances in Asia.
Dr Zainal mentioned Malaysia may take cues others just like the US, Europe and Singapore.
In the US, the National Salt and Sugar Reduction Initiative was initiated in February 2021. It offers sugar-reduction targets for producers and meals service suppliers to use as a part of a public well being partnership to enhance the well being of Americans. The initiative goals to progressively cut back 20 per cent of added sugar from widespread meals purchases and 40 per cent from sugar-sweetened drinks over a number of years.
“This sort of programme will progressively remove the sugar content material within the meals merchandise presently out there. By eliminating somewhat sugar out of your every day consumption due to the merchandise on cabinets being already much less candy or are made with lowered sugar content material then inadvertently you might be benefitting your total well being,” mentioned Dr Zainal.
“In return the federal government can save on their medical prices due to weight problems, chubby and NCD elements,” he added.
Neighbouring Singapore had in September final 12 months launched the “Siu Dai by default” motion — referring to “much less candy” in espresso store lingo there, aiming to encourage meals and beverage operators to supply drinks with much less sugar as a default.
This was one other instance to emulate, he mentioned.
In Europe, member states led a voluntary Sugar and Calorie Reduction Network to promote more healthy diets in addition to cut back chubby and weight problems ranges throughout the World Health Organisation (WHO) European area was launched in 2022 so as to improve understanding of the obstacles and alternatives in implementing sugar and calorie discount programmes throughout completely different nations.
The authorities’s Sugar Reduction Advocacy Plan, spearheaded by former well being minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa, goals to increase consciousness concerning the perils of extreme sugar consumption. — eNM pic
The intention was to work with different European nations to domesticate an atmosphere throughout the area that facilitates and helps efforts to improve the dietary high quality of meals and drinks accessible to customers and to coordinate nationwide responses to business practices whereas selling proactive reformulation of merchandise by industries in a constructive and well timed method.
Dr Malathi proposed a complete method involving numerous stakeholders. She advocates for company assist to encourage wholesome behaviours, reminiscent of setting every day step rely targets and providing incentives for attaining these targets.
Furthermore, she underscored the significance of early intervention via free medical screenings, starting as early as 12 years previous, to detect and deal with well being points promptly.
“We want proactive measures to instil wholesome habits from a younger age. Initiatives like setting every day step rely targets and providing incentives for attaining them can encourage more healthy behaviours. Additionally, offering free medical screenings, ranging from as younger as 12 years previous, is essential for early detection and intervention,” she mentioned.
Dr Kayatri alternatively mentioned multifaceted methods like public consciousness campaigns had been essential in empowering the patron with the information. She recommended a sugar tax to assist cut back the urge to need your meals or drinks sweeter and vice versa subsidies for more healthy meals like fruit and veggies.
“We want to empower people with information to make knowledgeable dietary decisions,” mentioned Dr Kayatri.
“Implementing a sugar tax, comparable to the profitable mannequin within the UK, can successfully discourage the consumption of sugary drinks and meals, thus curbing diabetes threat elements. Apart from that, offering subsidies for more healthy meals like fruits, greens, and complete grains could make them extra accessible and reasonably priced to the general public, selling more healthy dietary habits.”
The mushy drinks business levy (SDIL), or “sugar tax”, is a levy utilized to UK-produced or imported mushy drinks containing added sugar. It got here into power from April 2018.
The SDIL was launched as a part of an anti-obesity technique in 2016, aligned with the Childhood Obesity Strategy and supported by public well being experts and campaigners. It aimed to sort out weight problems whereas additionally contemplating potential financial advantages, reminiscent of decreasing healthcare prices and bettering labour market participation.
The main goal of the SDIL was to incentivise mushy drink reformulation in the direction of lower-sugar recipes. This was achieved via a two-year grace interval for producers to reformulate their merchandise earlier than the levy’s implementation, a tiered construction focusing on high-sugar manufacturers, and a give attention to mushy drinks the place reformulation is comparatively easy due to the provision of zero-calorie sweeteners.
A poster displaying the ‘Kurang Manis’ campaign is displayed at a stall in Putrajaya March 7, 2024. — Picture by Raymond Manuel
Additionally, the levy aimed to affect shopper behaviour by encouraging the selection of lower-sugar choices over high-sugar ones, thereby selling more healthy dietary habits among the many public.
“On the opposite hand, we may make investments extra in infrastructures reminiscent of public parks, bicycle lanes and strolling paths to create an atmosphere that helps and encourages bodily exercise,” she added.
Collective accountability
A collaborative effort between healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the meals business is important in curbing the rise of sugar-related diseases.
Dr Malathi mentioned one impactful initiative is the implementation of a calorie rely initiative in eateries throughout the nation.
“By mandating the inclusion of calorie data on menus customers are empowered to make knowledgeable dietary decisions. This transparency not solely aligns with the rising pattern towards more healthy residing in Malaysia but in addition serves as a sensible device for people striving to handle their calorie consumption extra successfully.
“The significance of calorie labelling can’t be overstated. For many Malaysians, the easy act of realizing the calorie content material of their meals and drinks generally is a game-changer. It offers a tangible technique of understanding the dietary worth of their decisions and encourages mindfulness when deciding on meals. This newfound consciousness has the potential to considerably cut back the consumption of high-calorie objects, thereby mitigating the chance elements related to diabetes and different associated well being situations,” mentioned Dr Malathi.
Dr Kayatri stresses the collaborative position of healthcare professionals in educating communities on the vital want to cut back sugar consumption.
“Healthcare professionals play an important position in partaking with communities to increase consciousness concerning the significance of decreasing sugar consumption. Policymakers can assist by implementing community-based initiatives and have the chance to bolster such efforts via funding and by enacting laws like sugar taxes, necessary discount targets for meals producers, and stricter labelling necessities.
“Additionally, collaboration between the meals business and healthcare professionals is essential for investments in analysis and growth which may lead to the creation of more healthy, lower-sugar options, driving significant change in dietary habits,” she added.
According to a survey by Landgeist, Bahrain (44.3kg) has the best per capita sugar consumption in Asia and one of many highest on the planet. Lebanon (43.4kg) and Malaysia (41.6kg) are the one different Asian nations the place the sugar consumption is over 40 kilograms per capita.
The lowest numbers may be present in Myanmar (2.9kg), North Korea (4.5kg) and Bangladesh (6.3kg). While in Europe, Belgium emerged as the most important shopper of sugar-sweetened mushy drinks. Poland (45.7kg), Malta (43.8kg) and Denmark (40.4kg) are the one different European nations the place the sugar consumption is over 40kg per capita.
The lowest numbers may be present in Luxembourg (10.8kg), Cyprus (17.6kg), Bosnia and Herzegovina (18.3kg), Albania (18.6kg), Slovenia (19.4kg) and Latvia (19.9kg) all have a per capita sugar consumption under 20kg.
