Petaling Jaya: Healthy lifestyle education can help combat and reduce the nation’s rising cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially in three categories: cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). increase.
Former Deputy Health Minister Lee Boon Chye said that while vaccines have helped reduce most infectious diseases, NCDs are on the rise and are becoming a serious health threat.
“People must be educated about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and fight obesity by following a healthy diet. We also need to catch NCDs early to prevent them from taking hold.” .
“The B40 Group’s free health screenings help the Ministry of Health track NCDs in low-income people. can play an important role in
Gao Peng MP Li said all efforts should be made to promote healthy lifestyles through the health education division of the ministry.
“People should be encouraged to exercise, such as walking 10,000 steps a day. Parents and elementary school students should learn how a healthy lifestyle can help prevent NCDs.”
Lee said educating children about healthy living from an early age will save the ministry money in the long run because fewer people fall victim to NCDs.
Total direct medical costs for the three NCD categories in 2017 were estimated at RM9.65 billion. The total healthcare expenditure for diabetes was RM438 million. He is followed by CVD and he is RM3.93 billion. Cancer, RM1.34 billion. The hospitalization costs for the three categories totaled MYR 1.58 billion.
Combining these estimated costs with a lost productivity cost of RM12.88 billion, the total cost to the Malaysian economy was RM22.53 billion. This equates to her 1.56% of Malaysia’s gross domestic product in 2017.
Dr Koh Kar Chai, President of the Malaysian Medical Association, said prevention is the best way to reduce the cost of treating NCDs. We need to be aware of the impact our lifestyles have on our health and have policies that support healthy lifestyles.
“The general public should see their doctor for a check-up at least once a year to check their health. It shows that you get better results.
“Healthy lifestyles should be adopted while people are still healthy. Many people only start thinking about their health when they have a problem.
He said Malaysia’s obesity problem is of concern because it can lead to many other serious problems, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers.
“People who are obese should know that lifestyle changes are important in managing this condition. I know there is.”
Koh said the booming growth of our country’s eateries doesn’t help, but making certain lifestyle adjustments can improve people’s health.
He recommended that anyone wishing to participate in a weight loss program seek medical advice first.
