Malaysians most obese in Southeast-Asia

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has the highest obesity rate among Southeast-Asian countries and ranks sixth in the Asia-Pacific, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said.

"This is something which we should think together and to promote awareness among the people to take action to reduce sugar intake.

"We view this matter seriously because excessive intake of sugar can lead to various complications including diabetes," she said in reply to a supplementary question from Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong) in the Dewan Rakyat Monday.

Rosnah said the daily sugar intake among Malaysians was too high, at 51 grammes, which is above the recommendation by the World Health Organisation, at 50 grammes.

Of the 1,266 food samples analysed in 2009, 92 or 7.3 per cent were found to have too much sugar. Last year 2,004 samples were analysed, of which 108 or 5.4 per cent had an excessive amount of sugar.

Rosnah said the government issued reminders from time to time under the Food Regulations 1985 to ensure food items are safe for consumption.
  

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Source: MOLE