PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry has launched the Sugar Reduction Advocacy Campaign 2023 here on Sunday (Oct 29) to encourage Malaysians to reduce sugar intake as diabetes plagues the health of many in the country.
According to the 2019 Malaysia National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), at least one in every two Malaysian adults is overweight or obese while one-fifth of Malaysian adults suffer from diabetes.
Meanwhile, the rate of increase in diabetic patients nationwide has gone up from 11.2% in 2011, to 13.4% in 2015 and spiked to 18.3% in 2019.
The campaign saw the cooperation of multiple drink vendors at multiple food courts and food trucks around Putrajaya, which was praised by Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
"As is widely known, excessive sugar intake increases the likelihood of causing chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, dental health issues and other non-communicable diseases.
"Despite this, 63.3% of adults in Putrajaya are either overweight or obese, making it the state with the largest amount of overweight people.
"Which is why we are glad that drink vendors themselves are willing to take the initiative to reduce the sugar intake among the people," said the ministry’s deputy secretary-general (management) Datuk Zainal Alhakab Seman, who represented Dr Zaliha at the campaign’s launch.
He added that the campaign, with the slogan is "Sugar: One teaspoon is enough, less is better, none is best", is also planned to be expanded in stages to the state level and eventually across all states around the country.
“Being overweight and obesity is a growing health issue that must be addressed as it not only affects everyone whether it’d be their own health or the health of their loved ones but also future generations,” Zainal said.
He also said the campaign is aimed at spreading awareness and educating the public on the high sugar content in their daily drinks from sweet carbonated drinks that can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar in every 500ml to the local favourite teh tarik that can contain up to five teaspoons of sugar per serving.
