A FEW years back during a trip to Cambodia, I found it was quite difficult to spot a fat man on the street. I was not there long but during the days I was there, I came across less than a handful of obese people.
Maybe I was at the wrong place at the wrong time but it was a huge contrast with Malaysia and on the way back home from the airport, I asked the old taxi driver why that was the case.
His answer was simple. It's the simple life of people that make them thin and he pointed out that was also the case in Malaysia decades ago when he was a boy. He said hard work, loads of activity and the absence of excesses was what kept people thinner than they are today.
The thing is that as the decades have gone by, the mortality age has risen but Malaysians on a whole are not as healthy as they once were.
Reports have consistently come out with just how fat Malaysians have become, how diabetes is no longer a rich man's disease in this country and how the sedentary lifestyles of Malaysians are hurting us.
Modern medicine keeps many people going but the way we are living is doing a disservice to ourselves. And that's not going to change anytime soon.
Given the lifestyle of today's youth, it's not going to get any better as more children and teenagers are sitting in front of the TV, playing computer or console games or even interacting online as opposed to running around, going outdoors or playing some sport to burn some calories.
There are also shows like The Biggest Loser that accentuate the problems afflicting society today. It's quite amazing just how much weight a person can lose when they have the time and motivation to shed the kilos but somewhere, somehow, many of us have to do more.
For one, there should be more open space for kid to play. Safety is a major concern for parents today than in the past, but surely parks and recreational spaces could be kept safe if enough attention to security is given to such places.
Being healthier and fitter is not about one's own self satisfaction. The rewards will be felt immediately and also in the long run, people who lead an active lifestyle may find the future bills from unwanted medical costs kept lower.
With retirement planning still an issue for most Malaysians and with the cost of living rising faster than what most people would like, it's time for us, me included, to conduct our own weight-loss programme without all the fanfare of a TV show.
Maybe I was at the wrong place at the wrong time but it was a huge contrast with Malaysia and on the way back home from the airport, I asked the old taxi driver why that was the case.
His answer was simple. It's the simple life of people that make them thin and he pointed out that was also the case in Malaysia decades ago when he was a boy. He said hard work, loads of activity and the absence of excesses was what kept people thinner than they are today.
The thing is that as the decades have gone by, the mortality age has risen but Malaysians on a whole are not as healthy as they once were.
Reports have consistently come out with just how fat Malaysians have become, how diabetes is no longer a rich man's disease in this country and how the sedentary lifestyles of Malaysians are hurting us.
Modern medicine keeps many people going but the way we are living is doing a disservice to ourselves. And that's not going to change anytime soon.
Given the lifestyle of today's youth, it's not going to get any better as more children and teenagers are sitting in front of the TV, playing computer or console games or even interacting online as opposed to running around, going outdoors or playing some sport to burn some calories.
There are also shows like The Biggest Loser that accentuate the problems afflicting society today. It's quite amazing just how much weight a person can lose when they have the time and motivation to shed the kilos but somewhere, somehow, many of us have to do more.
For one, there should be more open space for kid to play. Safety is a major concern for parents today than in the past, but surely parks and recreational spaces could be kept safe if enough attention to security is given to such places.
Being healthier and fitter is not about one's own self satisfaction. The rewards will be felt immediately and also in the long run, people who lead an active lifestyle may find the future bills from unwanted medical costs kept lower.
With retirement planning still an issue for most Malaysians and with the cost of living rising faster than what most people would like, it's time for us, me included, to conduct our own weight-loss programme without all the fanfare of a TV show.
