GOMBAK: Malaysia is facing a critical public health crisis, with more than half of the adult population living with obesity or being overweight, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He said 32.6% of the population is overweight, while 21.8% suffers from obesity, according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023.
This places Malaysia among Southeast Asian countries with the highest prevalence of obesity among adults.
The rise of childhood obesity is also a cause for concern as it is a significant risk factor for developing chronic diseases in adulthood.
The NHMS 2023 reports that approximately one in three children aged between 13 and 17 are affected by overweight or obesity issues.
“Obesity and diabetes are not just individual health concerns, they are a national challenge that requires a united effort,“ said Dzulkefly.
The three areas with the highest rates of overweight people are Kuala Lumpur (40.6%), Putrajaya (35.5%) and Labuan (34.8%) while those with the lowest rates are Sarawak (29.7%), Kelantan (28.2%) and Perlis (27%).
The three areas with the highest rates of obesity include Perlis (32.8%), Negeri Sembilan (28.9%) and Putrajaya (25.8%) while the three with the lowest rates are Sabah (19.5%), Selangor (19.1%) and Kuala Lumpur (18.2%).
A total of 15.6% of Malaysians suffer from diabetes, with the highest rates being in Perak (21.7%), Pahang (21.5%) and Perlis (20.6%).
Those suffering form hypertension total 29.2%, with Perak being the state with the highest rate (40.2%), followed by Sarawak (39.9%) and Perlis (39.1%).
As for hypercholesterolaemia, 33.3% of Malaysians suffer from it, with Perak accounting for the highest rate (41.3%), followed by Perlis (41.0%) and Sarawak (38.9%).
To address the alarming rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes, Reset Health, in collaboration with the Health Ministry and the National Cancer Society Malaysia, launched Roczen Universal Malaysia, a free digital health programme.
The programme, launched yesterday by Dzulkefly at the Rail & River Event Space in Batu Caves, is a digital health platform designed to help individuals manage their weight and blood sugar levels.
It is offered free of charge to all Malaysians for up to one year per person.
Anyone can join via the Roczen Universal website as a self-directed participant and follow the health educational materials.