Materia Medica Malaysiana

Study on eating habits to help preventive care

KUALA LUMPUR: The worrying rise of diet-related diseases has shifted the government’s focus towards preventive care as the cost of curative treatment is already eating up 65% of the ministry’s RM6.38bil annual budget.

The Health Ministry is undertaking a comprehensive research on current eating habits of Malaysians to plan new strategies to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad, who announced this yesterday, said there had been no such research over the last 40 years although lifestyles and eating inclinations had changed drastically.

“Instead of burning off the additional calories, Malaysians are consuming 21% more calories per person per day compared with two decades ago,” he said at the launch of Nutrition Month Malaysia 2004 here yesterday.

The campaign themed Eat Healthily, Work Excellently targets working adults, especially female factory and office workers, and students. Dr Abdul Latiff said that in the past, it was normal for people to have a heavy breakfast, including rice, because they burned their calories while working in the bendang (padi fields).

“Nowadays, people eat more but they do not go to the bendang and do not burn the calories,” he added.

The ministry would now focus on educating the public on preventive measures against diet-related diseases such as cardiovascular ailments, stroke, diabetes and cancer.

He said strategies like awareness campaigns, forums and counselling sessions would be carried out once the root of the problem was identified.