Dr Maria Suleiman (centre) officiating the Jom Sihat Sandakan programme.
SANDAKAN: Sabah is experiencing a troubling increase in lifestyle-related illnesses as the state faces a "double burden" of malnutrition, where communities suffer from both undernutrition and excessive calorie intake.
Sabah Health Department director Dr Maria Suleiman said the rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes as well as high blood pressure and strokes are linked to unhealthy diets and a lack of physical activity.
“We are dealing with a dual challenge—undernutrition on one hand and overconsumption of calories on the other, along with poor dietary choices. If we consume too much, we open ourselves up to health issues such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure,” she said.
She spoke to reporters after officiating the Jom Sihat Sandakan programme at Sejati Walk on Saturday.
Dr Maria said 298 new stroke cases were recorded at Hospital Queen Elizabeth and 198 at Hospital Duchess of Kent in 2024, many related to high blood pressure. She urged communities to take proactive steps to improve their health through better diets and increased physical activity.
She also highlighted a steady increase in chronic illnesses across the state based on data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey.
“For diabetes, the prevalence in Sabah rose from 5.7% in 2011 to 8.8% in 2023. Dyslipidemia increased slightly from 31% to 32%, while overweight rates rose from 28% to 30.9%. Obesity—very concerning—almost doubled from 10.6% to 19.5%,” she said.
The programme featured health screenings, nutrition exhibitions, counselling sessions, interactive activities, and talks aimed at raising awareness of healthy lifestyles.
Dr Maria added that the initiative supports the National Nutrition Policy’s goal of promoting sustainable food systems and improving access to nutritious diets.
