14/12/2025

ON SUNDAY December 14, 2025 theSunday Special III

The future of a healthier Malaysia This year, World Diabetes Day – marked every November – carried a timely theme: Diabetes and the Workplace. In Malaysia, ZKHUH QLQH WR ¿YH FXOWXUH RIWHQ PHDQV hours of sitting in air-conditioned comfort, it’s more relevant than ever. A healthier future doesn’t start with grand overhauls or expensive detoxes. ,W EHJLQV ZLWK WKH VPDOO VWX̆ GRQH FRQ sistently. Take the stairs. Walk to lunch. Stretch between meetings. Even swapping your daily drive for public transport adds movement into your routine without costing extra time. Reclaim your kitchen, too. Prepar ing meals in advance, prioritising fruits and vegetables and cutting down on oily WDNHDZD\V GRHVQ¶W PHDQ JLYLQJ XS ÀDYRXU It means taking back control. Even ergonomic furniture, better desk setups, and proper hydration throughout the day can improve energy, focus and long-term well-being. “For Malaysians, prevention starts with small, daily actions. For children, healthy habits begin at home. Parents can set the tone by encouraging balanced meals, limiting screen time and making active play part of the daily routine. Childhood obesity is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health problems, so early intervention is key,” Lim stressed. The support system shouldn’t end at home, either. “Schools and workplaces have a real RSSRUWXQLW\ WR PDNH D GL̆ HUHQFH :KHWKHU LW¶V R̆ HULQJ KHDOWKLHU IRRG RSWLRQV RU FUHDW ing more opportunities for movement, every step counts,” he added. Obesity in Malaysia isn’t just a personal health issue; it’s a national one. It’s reshap ing our healthcare system, our economy and our everyday lives. But this isn’t about shame or blame. It’s about awareness, action and accountability. Recognising obesity as a disease helps legitimise the conversation, but change begins with each of us. With how we eat, how we move, how we parent, how we work. We don’t need perfection; we need progress and we need to start now.

Obesity is no longer a future problem. It’s happening now across all age groups. It’s reshaping how we think about health in Malaysia. And if we don’t address it seri ously, the consequences will outpace us. Culture, convenience and the cost of inactivity With more than 20 years of experience in HQGRFULQRORJ\ /LP KDV VHHQ WKH VKLIW ¿UVW hand. The rise in obesity and overweight cases in Malaysia is no longer a creeping concern. It’s a full-blown crisis. “This shift has huge implications not just for personal health but also for the productivity of our nation,” he explained. At the heart of the issue? A lifestyle that’s become increasingly sedentary. Fast food has replaced home-cooked meals. Physical activity has been squeezed out by long working hours, digital entertain ment and urban sprawl. The result is clear: waistlines are growing and so is the burden on our healthcare system. Recent health data paints a stark pic ture. One in three Malaysian adults doesn’t engage in even basic physical activity, including brisk walking. A staggering 84% don’t participate in sports or use active transport, such as walking or cycling. That’s not just a statistic. That’s a warning. “As Malaysians, we take pride in our rich food culture, but our love for high carb, calorie-dense meals combined with today’s fast-paced urban lifestyle often leads to less movement and greater reli ance on convenience foods,” added Lim. “These factors contribute to both obe sity and diabetes risk.” He’s not wrong. Food is more than sustenance here. It has become a culture, an identity and a celebration in our coun try. Eating out is the norm. Generosity is shown through portions. And to sug gest cutting back? Often seen as rude or ungrateful. But Lim isn’t calling for cultural era sure. He’s calling for balance. That starts with smarter eating habits – smaller portions, more variety, less sugar and reshaping how we think about movement. It’s not about training for a marathon. It’s DERXW ¿WWLQJ SK\VLFDO DFWLYLW\ LQWR GDLO\ OLIH without treating it like a chore. “Many working adults spend long hours at their desks, often with limited opportu nities for physical activity and easy access to sugary drinks or snacks,” he noted. “This workplace environment can unintentionally increase risk factors for diabetes and weight gain. The problem isn’t just what we eat; it’s how we live. Unless that changes, no amount of calorie FRXQWLQJ ZLOO ¿[ LW ´ First step to prevention As urgent as the obesity crisis is, it won’t be solved overnight. In Malaysia, changing the nation’s relationship with health will take more than awareness campaigns DQG ÀHHWLQJ UHVROXWLRQV :KDW ZH QHHG is a long-term cultural shift, starting with how we think about food, movement and self-care. It doesn’t have to be drastic. In fact, WKH PRVW H̆ HFWLYH FKDQJHV DUH RIWHQ WKH smallest ones done consistently. “The key is making small, sustainable FKDQJHV WKDW ¿W \RXU OLIHVW\OH ´ VDLG /LP “Even modest improvements in diet, DFWLYLW\ DQG VOHHS FDQ PDNH D KXJH GL̆ HU ence and they’re more likely to last.” And no, it doesn’t mean giving up your

Childhood habits start at home – parents can lead by example with active play and healthy choices.

This is where early intervention plays a key role. Routine check-ups can help distinguish between someone who is slightly overweight and someone facing clinical obesity because the solutions aren’t the same. One might respond well to improved diet and moderate exercise; the other may require more structured medical attention. When a patient is diagnosed with obesity, it’s not just about handing out a treatment plan. It’s about providing tailored assessments, ongoing education and access to allied health services, includ LQJ QXWULWLRQLVWV WKHUDSLVWV DQG ¿WQHVV professionals, who can walk alongside them through what is often a lifelong journey. Because understanding your body isn’t just about a number on a scale, it’s about seeing the whole picture and knowing what to do with it.

favourite dishes. The goal isn’t to erase your culture but to work with it. Lim recommends cutting back on fast food and greasy meals and leaning into options with PRUH YHJHWDEOHV ¿EUH DQG OHDQ SURWHLQ Think: less deep-fried, more balanced. Simple swaps go a long way. Replace white rice with brown rice. Use smaller plates to help manage portion sizes. Eat mindfully. Cut down on sugary drinks and snacks with intention, not boredom. Movement, too, doesn’t require a gym. A walk after lunch, light bodyweight exercises at home or a game of badminton with friends all count. Adults aged 21 and above should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity a day to keep things ticking. “The most important thing is to start now. Don’t wait for warning signs. Monitor your weight early and get support through local clinics or community programmes. A little consistency goes a long way,” Lim added. As with anything that sits at the in WHUVHFWLRQ RI KHDOWK ¿WQHVV DQG FXOWXUH context matters. Not everyone agrees that labelling obesity as a disease is helpful or even entirely accurate. Critics argue that the label risks over simplifying a deeply complex condition. A single virus, gene or bad decision doesn’t cause obesity. It’s shaped by a tangled web of factors: Genetics, environment, mental health, stress, socioeconomic background, food systems and lifestyle habits built over years, not weeks. It’s also not one-size-fits-all. Two individuals can share the same BMI yet have entirely different health profiles. One may be metabolically healthy, the other managing multiple complications. So what exactly are we diagnosing here: a body type or a risk pattern? “Obesity is a complex, long-term condi tion,” noted Lim. “Sustainable support systems like life style coaching, behavioural therapy and regular follow-ups are essential. In clinical practice, what we often see is that patients don’t just need a diagnosis, they need consistent guidance and accountability over time.”

Sedentary lifestyles are driving up waistlines and increasing health risks.