Obesity: Malaysia is No. 1 in Southeast Asia

May 1, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, MAY 1 — According to an article from The Malaysian Insider, Malaysia has the highest obesity rate in Southeast Asia and ranks sixth in Asia-Pacific region, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said: "We view this matter seriously because an excessive intake of sugar could lead to various complications including diabetes."

She was replying to a supplementary question from Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong).

According to a Bernama report, Rosnah said the daily sugar intake among Malaysians was too high, at 51g, which was above the World Health Organisation recommendation, at 50g.

Of the 1,266 food samples analysed in 2009, 92 samples or 7.3 per cent were found to have too much sugar.

Last year, 2,004 samples were analysed of which 108 samples or 5.4 per cent were found to have an excessive amount of sugar, the report said.