60.7% Malaysian Is Sick

MORE than 17 million Malaysians, or 60.7 per cent of the population, are currently living with non-communicable diseases (NCD), with many more still undiagnosed - figures released by the Health Ministry, underscoring the unhealthy lifestyle of Malaysians.

Health Ministry's figures showed an estimated 2.6 million diabetes sufferers, 5.8 million Malaysians with hypertension, 6.2 million with high cholesterol and 2.5 million with obesity. The number of those suffering from NCD could be more as there are many Malaysians who have yet to get a medical check-up.

These conditions have significant implications on health care costs and drive increasing demand for relatively expensive treatment and long-term rehabilitative care. Presently, NCD is the main cause of premature deaths among adults. The disabilities and premature deaths caused by these diseases are among the economically productive members of our population.

Factors that cause NCD are sedentary or stressful lifestyles, unhealthy food intake, alcohol and tobacco consumption, lead to higher incidences of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and cardio-vascular diseases.