14/09/2025

ON SUNDAY September 14, 2025 theSunday Special VIII

Knowing how to eat does not always mean eating the right foods.”

I N a world where food is everywhere and everyone has an opinion on what is “healthy”, it is easy to think ZH KDYH JRW LW DOO ¿JXUHG RXW $IWHU DOO ZH HDW HYHU\ GD\ +RZ KDUG FDQ it be? O XU ODWHVW 1DWLRQDO +HDOWK DQG 0RUELG LW\ 6XUYH\ WHOOV D GLIIHUHQW VWRU\ WKDW knowing how to eat does not always mean HDWLQJ WKH ULJKW IRRGV T RGD\ PRUH WKDQ KDOI RI 0DOD\VLDQ DGXOWV DUH HLWKHU RYHUZHLJKW RU REHVH RU KDYH D ELJ EHOO\ DEGRPL QDO REHVLW\ ZKLFK LQFUHDVHV WKH risk of diabetes, heart diseases and other QRQ FRPPXQLFDEOH GLVHDVHV 1&'V &KLOGUHQ DQG DGROHVFHQWV \HDUV IDFH D GXDO EXUGHQ RI PDOQXWULWLRQ

Half the country struggles with diet, here is why expert guidance matters Malaysia’s nutrition wake up call

Wong

ZKHUHE\ QHDUO\ LQ VFKRRO DJHG FKLOGUHQ are overweight or obese, while some are VWLOO VX̆ HULQJ IURP VWXQWLQJ DQG WKLQQHVV When we examine the dietary patterns FORVHO\ RQO\ RI DGXOWV DUH HDWLQJ WKH UHFRPPHQGHG ¿YH VHUYLQJV RI IUXLWV DQG YHJHWDEOHV GDLO\ ZKLOH FRQVXPLQJ H[FHV VLYH DPRXQWV RI VDOW DQG GULQNLQJ WRR PDQ\ VXJDU FRQWDLQLQJ EHYHUDJHV T KH DODUPLQJ WUXWK LV WKDW 0DOD\VLDQV FRQWLQXH WR EH SODJXHG E\ SRRU QXWULWLRQDO VWDWXV ,W EHFRPHV DEXQGDQWO\ FOHDU WKDW XQKHDOWK\ GLHWV DQG OLIHVW\OHV DUH WKH OHDGLQJ FDXVH EHKLQG WKLV HVFDODWLQJ KHDOWK FULVLV :H KDYH WRR PXFK ZHLJKW EXW WRR OLWWOH QXWULWLRQ Relevance of nutritionists in today’s world L HW¶V IDFH LW 0RVW SHRSOH ZRXOG QRW KHVLWDWH WR VHH D GRFWRU ZKHQ WKH\ DUH VLFN +RZHYHU ZKHQ LW FRPHV WR IRRG PDQ\ SHRSOH UHO\ RQ VRFLDO PHGLD WLSV KHDUVD\ RU DGYLFH IURP XQWUDLQHG LQGLYLGXDOV 7KH WUXWK LV RXU QXWULWLRQDO QHHGV FKDQJH WKURXJKRXW OLIH DQG NQRZLQJ KRZ WR HDW ZHOO DW HDFK VWDJH LV MXVW DV LPSRUWDQW DV WUHDWLQJ LOOQHVV )RU H[DPSOH SUHJQDQW and breastfeeding women need the proper QXWULHQWV WR VXSSRUW WKHPVHOYHV DQG WKHLU EDELHV ,QIDQWV DQG FKLOGUHQ UHTXLUH EDODQFHG GLHWV IRU KHDOWK\ JURZWK DQG EUDLQ GHYHORSPHQW $FWLYH LQGLYLGXDOV DQG DWKOHWHV UHO\ RQ SHUVRQDOLVHG QXWULWLRQ WR HQKDQFH SHUIRUPDQFH DQG UHFRYHU\ 1RW IRUJHWWLQJ ROGHU DGXOWV QHHG WR HDW ZHOO WR PDLQWDLQ PXVFOH VWUHQJWK VXSSRUW WKHLU LPPXQH V\VWHP DQG SUHVHUYH WKHLU TXDOLW\ RI OLIH

BY ASSOC PROF DR WONG JYH EIIN & PROF DR MAHENDERAN APPUKUTTY

Nutritionists help individuals make informed food choices at every stage of life, from childhood to healthy ageing.