At the beginning of this year, the latest data released by The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency from 2016 to 2024 showed that our country has emerged as the second in Southeast Asia with many citizens facing weight issues or being considered obese.
Brunei ranks first with 28.2 per cent, Malaysia follows with 19.7 per cent, while Singapore and Thailand are at 11.6 per cent each.
The factors influencing this issue are undoubtedly our lifestyle choices that do not prioritise healthy eating and living.
This fact is further supported by the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) last year, which revealed that 84 per cent of adults in this country are not active in sports and fitness activities.
In blunt terms, we could say that around 18 million of our citizens are too lazy to exercise!
Last year, NHMS also released data showing that Malaysia ranks second highest for obesity among children and adolescents in Southeast Asia.
The NHMS results show that the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children aged 13 to 17 has increased from 24.6 per cent in 2012 to 30.5 per cent in 2022.
These findings are indeed worrying as they indicate an increasing trend in the prevalence of overweight and obesity as well as unhealthy eating patterns.
This problem, which has become a serious issue in the lives of Malaysians, should be prioritised not only by individuals but also by the government, which needs to conduct more aggressive campaigns.
Perhaps it should start with politicians, many of whom fall into the obese category, as they can serve as a mirror for the public to follow.
Just look at the Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who recently ran 200 kilometres from Muar to Parliament.
Although he had a mission in his ‘Muar Move’, the 31-year-old young leader is very active in sports and has become a role model for the youth.
So, it would not be wrong for this campaign to start with politicians because we can see that many politicians who were once slim are now entering the obese phase.