Healthier with less sugar

The average Malaysian consumes 75.5g of sugar a day, which is far more than the recommended 50g. In a bid to be healthier, more people are turning to sugar substitutes, assuming that it is healthier than refined sugar. - Marco Verch/Flickr

THERE are about three million obese Malaysians – and the number is increasing – while there are about five million individuals who suffer from varying degrees of diabetes. Malaysia is ranked sixth in the Asia-Pacific region for obesity and tops the list in South-East Asia for both obesity and diabetes. To address this issue, the government will be imposing a sugar tax from April this year, aiming to reduce consumers’ sugar consumption. The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) supports the move. Yet, tax alone will not change eating behaviours.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has been promoting taxes on sugary drinks, as over-consumption of sugar is a major contributor to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. Sugary drinks are a major source of sugar in the diet and its consumption is increasing in most countries, especially among children and adolescents.