Obesity is the main risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cancer, gout, and cardiovascular diseases.
Besides poor eating habits, the lack of physical activity is one reason for obesity.
Locally, a 2020 report by Frontiers, the third most-cited, and sixth-largest research publisher and open science platform, revealed that more than a quarter of Malaysian adults were physically inactive.
That is a cause for concern as the Global Status Report on Physical Activity 2022, published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday, stated that almost 500 million people globally, will develop heart disease, obesity, diabetes, or other NCDs attributable to physical inactivity between 2020 and 2030.
The economic burden of physical inactivity is significant, and the cost of treating new cases of preventable NCDs will reach nearly US$300 billion by 2030, or around US$27 billion annually.
The WHO report measures how governments implement recommendations to increase physical activity across all ages and abilities.
Data from 194 countries showed that progress is slow, and nations need to accelerate the development and implementation of policies to increase physical activity to prevent diseases and reduce the burden on the already overwhelmed healthcare services.
The report revealed that:
- Less than 50 per cent of countries have a national physical activity policy, of which less than 40 per cent is operational
- Only 30 per cent of countries have national physical activity guidelines for all age groups
- While nearly all countries report a system for monitoring physical activity in adults, 75 per cent of countries monitor physical activity among adolescents, and less than 30 per cent monitor physical activity in children under five years
- In policy areas that could encourage active and sustainable transport, over 40 per cent of countries have road design standards that make walking and cycling safer.
The data also offered the first insights into the impact of Covid-19 on countries’ capacity for, and progress towards implementing policies related to physical activity.
Last week, the Health Ministry said it has plans to combat obesity and encourage physical activity, through a two-pronged plan.
The first is a pilot programme at selected cafeterias and restaurants in its administrative capital, Putrajaya, where menus will be calorie-labelled.
Caretaker Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said that if successful, the programme would be introduced nationwide, starting with big chain franchises.
The ministry also launched a new module for its Fit & Trim weight management programme in workplace settings for civil servants across all ministries and government departments in Putrajaya.
The decision to start the programme in Putrajaya comes as the city’s adult overweight and obesity rate is 63.3 per cent. That is higher than the national average of 50.1 per cent.
According to Malaysia’s National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019, 30.4 per cent of adults were overweight. Another 19.7 per cent were obese.
