Only water and fruit at Health Ministry meetings

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Two pieces of fruit and a glass of plain water – this is the standard fare served at post-Cabinet meetings in the Health Ministry.
The spartan menu has been drawn up at the minister’s instruction to check overeating.
Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek has done away with coffee, tea, pastries, cakes and fried chicken at the weekly meetings in Putrajaya, saying he must walk the talk if he is serious about promoting healthy eating.
“Malaysians are eating more than they should, if not double the amount needed,” said the ministry’s parliamentary secretary, Datuk Lee Kah Choon, on the minister’s directive.
For instance, Lee said, some senior government officers also had a morning coffee break, an afternoon tea break and supper apart from the three regular meals.
“All these breaks also come with food like kuih, fried beehoon, fried mee and nasi lemak.
“And having a meeting table covered with more plates and cutlery than files is not an uncommon sight,” he lamented, adding that decision-makers must set a good example so as to set the stage for more effective health campaigns.
The minister’s office, he added, must therefore lead the way before it could start to preach to others.
And, according to the ministry, there is much more to healthy living than eating properly.
The ministry also conducts a weekly aerobics session for civil servants in Putrajaya every Monday.
However, said Lee, while the session had started with 200 participants during the launch by Dr Chua in March last year, attendance had since dropped to about 30 now.
“This is not surprising because although 76% of Malaysians had listed health as the most important element in life based on a Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia study in 2004, the majority has failed to adopt a healthy lifestyle,” he said.
The ministry considers five criteria that are essential for a healthy lifestyle – the person must not smoke, exercise for at least 20 minutes three times a week, take steps to reduce stress, have a balanced diet and avoid alcohol or cut back on it.