SAVE for the hardcore poor, Malaysians in general need not fear that they will die of lack of food. If wealth be the only measure of progress, then Malaysians should be proud that more of us now stand a better chance of dying from having too much of the good life.
For the last few years, ever since the last Malaysian Health and Morbidity Survey 2006 results were released, we have known that nearly three out of every 10 Malaysians are overweight; and nearly three out of every 20 Malaysians are obese. The overweight rate rose 150 per cent over 10 years from 1996 to 2006, while the obesity rate tripled in that time. With obesity comes other health complications like hypertension and diabetes.
Sadly, physicians at University Malaya Medical Centre are reporting the same "progress" with children, too, with an increase in children getting diabetes. Even worse, more children are now getting Type 2 diabetes -- a harder to treat form of diabetes, which largely used to be a problem that inflicted itself upon adults and the elderly. Now, however, Type 2 diabetes accounts for 17.5 per cent of children diagnosed with diabetes at the centre. The risk factors, physicians say, are an inactive lifestyle, a high-fat diet and a family history of diabetes. And the increase in diabetes is linked to the increase in obesity in children.
It is ironic that such "wealth" is indicative of other kinds of poverty. Children fed on rich diets of fast food and indulgence are the victims of poor parenting and a neglectful society. And those who spend all their free time watching TV, playing computer games, or surfing the Net either have too many gizmos or no playgrounds or fields in which to run around and work up a sweat.
The government has already started trying to educate the public on healthy eating behaviour and this needs to be followed through with stricter guidelines on canteen food that cannot be compromised for the bottom line. And parents need to commit more time to setting good eating and lifestyle habits for their children. At the same time, more free public space needs to be created for recreation, and enough of these must be available so that small children do not have to get in line behind bigger children, who have to get in line behind adults. Each age group must have its own free play spaces, and there must be plenty of it.
These solutions are not new, and neither are the problems. The only thing that keeps changing is the percentage of adults -- and now, children -- who are getting sick. If nothing is done, our only legacy to our children may be an early grave.
For the last few years, ever since the last Malaysian Health and Morbidity Survey 2006 results were released, we have known that nearly three out of every 10 Malaysians are overweight; and nearly three out of every 20 Malaysians are obese. The overweight rate rose 150 per cent over 10 years from 1996 to 2006, while the obesity rate tripled in that time. With obesity comes other health complications like hypertension and diabetes.
Sadly, physicians at University Malaya Medical Centre are reporting the same "progress" with children, too, with an increase in children getting diabetes. Even worse, more children are now getting Type 2 diabetes -- a harder to treat form of diabetes, which largely used to be a problem that inflicted itself upon adults and the elderly. Now, however, Type 2 diabetes accounts for 17.5 per cent of children diagnosed with diabetes at the centre. The risk factors, physicians say, are an inactive lifestyle, a high-fat diet and a family history of diabetes. And the increase in diabetes is linked to the increase in obesity in children.
It is ironic that such "wealth" is indicative of other kinds of poverty. Children fed on rich diets of fast food and indulgence are the victims of poor parenting and a neglectful society. And those who spend all their free time watching TV, playing computer games, or surfing the Net either have too many gizmos or no playgrounds or fields in which to run around and work up a sweat.
The government has already started trying to educate the public on healthy eating behaviour and this needs to be followed through with stricter guidelines on canteen food that cannot be compromised for the bottom line. And parents need to commit more time to setting good eating and lifestyle habits for their children. At the same time, more free public space needs to be created for recreation, and enough of these must be available so that small children do not have to get in line behind bigger children, who have to get in line behind adults. Each age group must have its own free play spaces, and there must be plenty of it.
These solutions are not new, and neither are the problems. The only thing that keeps changing is the percentage of adults -- and now, children -- who are getting sick. If nothing is done, our only legacy to our children may be an early grave.
