Liow: More docs need to treat obesity

Star: BANTING: The Health Ministry wants 50 new nutritionists to be roped in every year to overcome the shortage of food specialists in government clinics, Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.
He added that there were only 283 nutritionists registered with the ministry although there were 800 clinics available nationwide. The ministry, he said. aimed to achieve a ratio of one nutritionist to every 10,000 people.
“Our country is deprived of nutritionists, and this may cause an increase in obesity cases in the country,” Liow told reporters after handing over 25 food hampers to a government clinic here yesterday.
Asked on the ideal number of nutritionists that should be employed in government clinics, Liow said his ministry wanted at least 5,000 of them to be employed over the next few years.
“Previously, doctors would advise patients on their diet plans. But now, we want a specialised department for nutritionists to combat obesity,” said Liow, who himself is a food science and nutrition graduate.
He said three local universities provided nutrition training courses and expressed hope that they could produce more qualified nutritionists.
He also said the country had the most cases of obesity compared to its Asian neighbours.
However, he said number of children under the age of five with ideal body weight had increased since 1999.
“In 1999, there were only 79.1% of children under the age of five who had the right body weight, but the percentage has increased to 93.2% in 2009,” he added.
Liow also advised new mothers to breastfeed their babies at least during the first four months, adding that mothers should ensure that their infants received proper nutrition.
“Awareness campaigns will be held to highlight the importance of breast-feeding,” he added.
Liow said that in 1990, 16 out of 1,000 infants born had died because they were not breast-fed, but the number had dropped to six in 2008.