MPs Forego Sweetened Drinks
Every Wednesday through October and December when the Parliament has been sitting, all 222 Malaysian MPs have not been able to enjoy sweetened drinks. It was reported in The Star that Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul announced the ruling in September and that it would be enforced to promote a healthier society. He […]
Is a Sugar Tax Enough?
In a comment piece in the Malaysian ‘Sun Daily’ newspaper, Singapore based technical writer Joachim Ng asks whether a sugar tax is enough. “The effectiveness of this higher tax on drinks in curbing sugar consumption depends on whether it is part of a comprehensive public prevention strategy that includes other regulatory measures.” You can read […]
Malaysia
Malaysian MP Dr Kelvin Yii has called for the establishment of a multi-stakeholder approach in implementing a diabetes management plan in the country. Citing plans in Australia and Switzerland as good examples to follow, the Banda Kuching MP says the Government needs to increase all efforts, including coming out with better policies and running more […]
Simple Solution to Malnutrition
Malayasian Member of Parliament, Dr Azman Ismail MP, has raised the issue of malnutrition and linked it to a rise in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) claiming there is a simple solution. “This doesn’t require huge funds and you don’t need rocket science to go back to our traditional diets” he said when debating the Supply Bill […]
Malaysia – Sugar Tax Principle Extended
In next year’s budget the Malaysian Government plans to keep the country’s excise duty for sugary beverages and introduce a duty for liquid or gel that contains nicotine used for electronic cigarettes and vapes. This is part of the Government’s health agenda, according to Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz. He said: […]
News from Around the World: Malaysia’s Diabetes Time-Bomb
Malaysia has the highest prevalence of obesity among adults in South-East Asia. In the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey, 50.1 percent of our adult population was reported to be overweight (30.4 percent) or obese (19.7 percent). Writing in the ‘Malaysian Star’ publication, Professors Dr Moy Foong Ming and Dr Noran Naqiah Hairi and Dr […]
Malaysian MPs Battle for Bigger Budget
Kuala Kedah MP Dr Azman Ismail and Jerlun MP Mukhriz Mahathir have called for bigger allocations in Budget 2021 to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes. They claim that NCD’s cost the economy nearly RM9 billion ($2.2 billion US) and that over 1.7 million people, or 8 per cent of the adult population, have […]
NEWS IN BRIEF
USA – News from the Senate Diabetes Caucus – http://observerme.com/2018/01/25/a-policy-change-that-will-improve-the-lives-of-millions-with-diabetes/ India – UK consultant Dr Partha Kar wonders: ‘Will the digital age bring about a change in diabetes care in India’ https://www.telegraphindia.com/science/on-a-sweet-note-192483 United Kingdom – URL https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Professionals/News-updates/APPG-for-diabetes-report-on-the-Future-of-Inpatient-Diabetes-Care Malaysia – Obesity among Asia-Pacific kids a growing health crisis http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2018/04/09/researchers-obesity-among-asia-pacific-kids-a-growing-health-crisis/ France – The French Federation of Diabetics […]