Dealing with diabetes

DESPITE many campaigns against diabetes in Malaysia, its prevalence – especially that of Type II – has increased to epidemic proportions. With today’s population at 33 million and a prevalence rate of 18.3%, it is estimated that there are more than six million diabetics in Malaysia.

In fact, the noncommunicable (NCD) disease is so prevalent that one in every five Malaysians has been diagnosed with it, and children as young as five and six years old have been diagnosed with Type II diabetes (which used to occur in older people previously as an age-onset disease).

Diabetes not only has a negative impact on quality of life and healthcare costs but also increases the economic burden of individuals, families and communities, thus affecting national productivity. According to a report released by the Health Ministry and the World Health Organi-sation in August 2022, the annual direct healthcare costs from diabetes in Malaysia is RM4.93bil – 227% higher than cancer (RM1.34bil) and 11% higher than cardiovascular disease (RM3.9bil).

Diabetes consumed the highest annual healthcare spending amount among the three NCDs at 45.4%, compared with cardiovascular disease (CVD) at 40.7% and cancer at 13.9%. In other words, for every ringgit spent on these NCDs, 45 sen goes to diabetes, 41 sen to CVD, and 14 sen to cancer.

Diabetes does not only take a toll on the country’s resources but also on patients’ limbs (amputation), eyesight (blindness), kidney (failure), heart (failure) and nerves (damage).

As obesity is a major contributing factor, the need to battle obesity is instrumental in reducing these alarming numbers. According to the WHO, Malaysia ranks sixth among Asian countries for a high adult obesity rate.

Today, on World Diabetes Day, CAP calls on Malaysian consumers to practice a healthy lifestyle that can help to prevent Type II diabetes and its complications.

We recommend the following:

> Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight (a BMI between 18kg/m2 and 23kg/m2).

> Be physically active – do at least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity activity on most days. More activity is required for weight control.

> Eat a healthy diet, avoiding sugar and saturated fats.

> Avoid tobacco use – smoking increases the risk of diabetes and CVD.

> Reduce sugar consumption by reducing processed foods and drinks, especially soft drinks – which are also called “liquid candy” in the West.

It is high time the authorities take a serious approach to managing diabetes in this country. With the alarming rate at which the disease is emerging among Malaysians, the government has to bear a heavy financial burden, productivity losses and serious healthcare burdens resulting from disability and loss of healthy life years.

CAP urges the authorities to:

> Ban the use of high fructose corn syrup, a cheap and unhealthy substitute for refined sugar, in food products.

> Require manufacturers to avoid or reduce sugar in their products.

> Amend labelling laws to make manufacturers clearly indicate the amount of sugar in their products by showing the number of teaspoonsful of sugar, which is easier for consumers to understand than grammes.

> Stop the advertisements of high-sugared and other junk food and drinks on TV and in cinemas.

> Ban the sale of junk food in school canteens and from hawkers within a fixed perimeter around schools so that schoolchildren are not tempted to purchase unhealthy food.

> Remove vending machines dispensing junk food and sugary drinks from places such as hospitals, airports and schools. Instead, provide drinking water in water dispensers.

> Launch a massive media campaign to educate the public about the dangers of diabetes.

> Launch a massive campaign to encourage consumers to engage in physical activity to avoid being obese.

> Stop issuing 24-hour licenses to eating outlets.

MOHIDEEN ABDUL KADER

President

Consumers Association of Penang (CAP)