Obesity is Marching Forward!

 

Malaysia will only be able to turn the tide against rising obesity if it can effectively implement health policies. In a report published by World Obesity Foundation in conjunction with World Obesity Day on March 4, the foundation said Malaysia is among 13 countries- representing 7% of nations - with an adequate health system to fight obesity. 

Despite the policies, the report said the number of adults with high BMI in Malaysia will continue to rise from 8.14mil in 2010 to 10.17mil in 2015 and to 17.55mil in 2030. Effective implementation, particularly in resource-limited settings, is crucial. Malaysia currently has four out of five key policies surveyed for addressing obesity. These include taxes on sugar-sweetened drinks, taxes on foods high in fats, saturated fats, sugar and salt, subsidies for healthier foods, and taxes and incentives to promote physical activity. 

The report said that the rise in obesity is especially pronounced in low-and-middle-income countries, which often lack the resources to manage the health system implications.  Southeast Asia, along with Africa and the Western Pacific are witnessing significant increases in obesity with an estimated increase of between 200% to 400% from 2010 to 2030.  Within the Asean region, Malaysia is currently fourth - after Brunei, Thailand and Laos - for adults with high BMI and those living with obesity. 

Singapore is among two thirds of countries (126 out of 194) with none or only one of the five key policies needed to tackle rising obesity levels. However, the proportion of adults living with obesity or are overweight are slightly lower in Singapore than in Malaysia. The number of adults living with obesity in the world is projected to more than double from 524 million in 2010 to 1.13 billion by 2030.  

Obesity is a serious disease and a major driver of noncommunicable diseases including cancer, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, with almost 4 million deaths per year attributable to obesity.  

 

Reference:
Interactive: Obesity’s continued rise in Malaysia, Diyana Pfordten, The Star, 5 March 2025