Malaysia: Malaysia is confronting a growing double burden of malnutrition, with 54.4 per cent of adults aged 18 and above overweight or obese, a trend that calls for structural reforms to the country's food policies and environment.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Health Select Committee chairman Suhaizan Kaiat (PH-Pulai) said the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) found that 29.2 per cent of adults have hypertension, 33.3 per cent have high cholesterol, and 15.6 per cent have diabetes mellitus. Suhaizan emphasized that nutrition is fundamental to national health, productivity, economic resilience, and the future generation, as he presented the committee's report on food policy and nutrition interventions today in the Dewan Rakyat.
Suhaizan noted that consultations with health experts, the Ministry of Health, and medical practitioners confirmed that Malaysia faces both overnutrition and undernutrition, necessitating urgent intervention. He highlighted that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become a public health pattern, with 35.9 per cent of adults having metabolic syndrome. More than half a million individuals live with four concurrent NCDs: obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolaemia.
He further pointed out that nearly 2.3 million adults live with three concurrent NCDs, affecting productivity and quality of life and placing a strain on healthcare services. The committee proposed 10 strategic recommendations involving ministries, agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders to reinforce national food policies and implement Malaysia's nutrition agenda comprehensively.
Key recommendations include strengthening the National Nutrition Policy 3.0, introducing a sugar-sweetened beverage tax, removing sugar subsidies to redirect funds to public health programs, and expanding screening and management of diet-related malnutrition at hospitals and primary care facilities. Suhaizan warned that nutrition reform requires bold policy action and sustained commitment, as failure to address malnutrition, including overweight and obesity, will burden the healthcare system.
Chong Zhemin (PH-Kampar) highlighted Malaysia's serious health crisis, with treatment costs related to obesity and diet estimated at RM70 billion annually, nearly double the Ministry of Health's 2026 budget of RM46.5 billion. He proposed a national diet revolution to encourage replacing a portion of white rice with brown rice or sweet potatoes to reduce sharp blood sugar spikes and initiated a nationwide strength-training program to build muscle mass among Malaysians.
Dr Halimah Ali (PN-Kapar) added that overnutrition and dietary imbalance contribute not only to cholesterol and heart issues but also stunt children's growth. She mentioned that the stunting rate among Malaysian children has risen from 20 per cent to 24 per cent over the past 25 years, whereas countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, and the Philippines have seen declines. She stressed the need for a comprehensive government and societal approach, including inter-ministerial collaboration, to implement more effective nutrition policies and programs.