Nearly 1mil Terengganu residents overweight or obese, says health dept
KUALA TERENGGANU : About 76% of Terengganu's population, equivalent to 988,000 out of 1.3 million residents, are either overweight or obese, according to the state health department.
Its director Dr Kasemani Embong said the figure marks a worrying increase of 15.2% from 60.8% recorded in 2011.
'What's more concerning is that one in three teenagers, or over 30%, in the state are struggling with weight issues. This is largely due to unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyles,' she said.
Dr Kasemani Embong.
She warned that this trend could further raise the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems and high blood pressure, which are already prevalent in the state.
'Among teenagers, the constant use of gadgets and the easy availability of unhealthy food are major contributors to this problem,' she added when speaking at a fun run held in conjunction with the 2025 Obesity Awareness Campaign at Dataran Batu Buruk here today.
To address the issue, she said the state health department is intensifying public health programmes, including the 'War On Sugar' campaign, which aims to raise awareness about hidden sugars in food and beverages.
Kasemani also encouraged the public to drink more water and prepare healthier meals at home as a way to reduce sugar intake.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
27 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Air quality at unhealthy levels in Selangor, N Sembilan
The environment department said the air pollutant index reading was at the moderate level in 58 areas. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The air quality in parts of Negeri Sembilan and Selangor has reached unhealthy levels based on the latest Air Pollutant Index (API) readings, according to the environment department. The index is calculated over a 24-hour period and does not represent real-time air quality. The department's API management system website stated the highest reading of 156 was reported in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, as of 9am this morning. This was followed by Johan Setia, Selangor (155), Port Dickson, NS (153) and Banting, Selangor (151), Bernama reported. The website also showed that the API reading in Putrajaya was almost at the unhealthy level, at 99. Another 57 locations showed moderate API readings, including Temerloh, Pahang (98), Petaling Jaya, Selangor (88), Bukit Rambai, Melaka (85), and Tasek Ipoh, Perak (79). An API reading of zero to 50 indicates good air quality, 51-100 moderate, 101-200 unhealthy, 201-300 very unhealthy and an API above 300 is hazardous.
Free Malaysia Today
32 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
30% of PLKN 3.0 trainees fail to report for duty, says Khaled
Defence minister Khaled Nordin said PLKN 3.0 is still in the trial phase, with full implementation expected to begin next year. (Bernama pic) KOTA TINGGI : Around 30% of participants from the first two series of the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0 failed to report for training due to various reasons, according to defence minister Khaled Nordin. He said the main reasons cited were health issues and offers to pursue higher education. 'So far, each series of PLKN 3.0 has recorded an absentee rate of about 10% to 15%, mostly due to valid reasons such as illness or having just been offered a university placement,' he told reporters after attending the opening ceremony of the Kembara Lestari Kota Tinggi with Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah at Felda Lok Heng Barat here today. Khaled said PLKN 3.0 was still in the trial phase, with full implementation expected to begin next year. The 45-day programme has received positive feedback from participants, particularly on the military training elements which are deemed effective in instilling discipline and building identity. 'Participants from the previous two series gave good feedback and requested that the military training content be improved,' Khaled said.
Barnama
an hour ago
- Barnama
No New ASF Cases In Perak, Pig Farms Continue Operations
IPOH, July 22 (Bernama) -- The Perak government has confirmed that no new cases of African swine fever (ASF) have been reported since 2024, indicating that the situation remains under control despite a spike in infections in neighbouring Penang. State Human Resources, Health, Indian Community Affairs and National Integration Committee chairman A. Sivanesan said all pig farms in the state remain operational, noting that pork remains a vital source of protein for the country's non-Muslim population. 'About 26 per cent of the population, roughly eight million people, rely on pork as an alternative protein source. If farms are shut down, these consumers will turn to chicken and fish, which could strain those markets,' he said. ASF was first detected in Perak in wild boars in December 2021, followed by cases at a pig farm in Batang Padang in March 2022 and at the Multi Agriculture farm in Tronoh in October 2023. Between 2022 and 2023, the disease affected 18 farms and 19,335 pigs. Thirteen of those farms have since resumed operations, while five were permanently closed. In 2024, Perak produced 17.4 million kilograms of pork, enough to meet local demand despite ongoing farm restructuring. However, with continued interstate exports, the state still imports pork to meet overall consumption needs. To modernise the sector, Sivanesan will leave for China tomorrow to study advanced pig farming practices. He added that nearly 55 per cent of applications for modern farm planning approval have been approved by local authorities and are currently being processed. On another note, Sivanesan said Perak has recorded only one pertussis (whooping cough) case this year, a two-month-old infant who tested positive after receiving a single dose of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine. This represents a 96.6 per cent decline from the 29 cases reported during the same period in 2024. The infant has since made a full recovery and four close contacts tested negative. No deaths have been reported.
