OBESITY IN MALAYSIA

The problem of obesity increasing  amongst adults and children in Malaysia has been highlighted for more than a decade.  The increase in diet- related diseases during the last few decades in Malaysia has prompted the government to recognize the important role that nutrition plays in promotion of health. Overweight and obesity are associated with an increased risk of dying from Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Kidney isease, Liver Disease, Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Diseases CVD) such as High Blood Pressure, Angina, Heart Attack, Congestive Heart Failure, and Stroke.

According to Ministry of Health Malaysia, good nutritional status that leads to an optimal quality of life is basic to sustainable development. As Malaysia forges ahead towards Vision 2020, it is imperative for us to consider the nutritional well- being of its population as a matter of everyday concern and practice. To reduce the problem of increasing overweight and obesity amongst adults and children, we have an obligation to understand well about the factors that contribute to weight gain.

Factor 1: Skipping Meals

Especially breakfast, can actually lead to weight gain. Some dieters choose to skip meals to save calories, thinking this a quick weight loss plan. It’s important to keep your metabolism fired up with the right foods at certain times of the day. The proper way to lose weight is to find a sensible weight loss plan that includes making healthier eating choices, exercising, and eating throughout the day to keep your metabolism up. Metabolism plays a key role in how quickly you burn fat and lose weight; therefore, meal skipping cannot be overlooked as part of your plan for weight loss. Apparently, skipping meals also make people hungrier later in the day; therefore people tend to overeat when they are extremely hungry. Besides this, for those who skipped meals in day time or breakfast possible to consume supper within a couple of hours before going to bed. The meal skippers or only eat one meal per day had elevated fasting glucose levels and a delayed insulin response – conditions that, if they persisted long term, could lead to Diabetes. The health risks associated with skipping meals are not worth it. If you are the type of dieter who believes that skipping meals is a healthy weight loss plan and is a quick weight loss tactic, it’s time to re-examine the eating habits and make health a high priority in your life.

Factor 1: Snacking

Snacking, especially unhealthy snacking is likely to play an important role in the development of overweight and obesity. Nowadays, the smaller packages of snacks such as 100 or 150 calories packs are very popular in the market. But many people who eat the 100-calorie packs are likely to gain more weight by eating them simply because of the portion size. Since they’re in such small packages, consumers may eat more packs or tempted to eat more without remorse because they look like a diet-food product.  So for those people dieting should be a little more careful about the 100-calorie pack marketing strategy. Besides this, television watching has also become a problem in the home, especially in the youth. People is tend to eat more snacks during watching television; and experts found that the snacks that were consumed during this time had higher fat calories, or were higher in carbohydrates, which can lead to this weight gain.

Factor 3: Late Dinner

This is a bad eating habit. Everybody has their own schedule, and with that schedule comes individual eating habits as well. While some people will eat their dinner at 6pm on the nose every single night, others will eat at 10pm or later. The researchers found that the time of day you eat is a powerful predictor for weight gain. Experts also warn that late dinner can signal the start of a vicious cycle of weight gain due to total calories intake per day increased. As diet experts explain it, weight loss, gain, or stabilization is based on total calories consumed per day versus the amount of energy burned. Therefore, try not to finish dinner later than 7.30PM.

Factor 4: Water

Water plays an important role in promoting weight loss. People are used to drink water with fast speed or in hourly proportions. In fact, throughout the day, you should drink water little by little. Sips of water throughout the day are better than drinking three glasses in one minute. Doing this may provide your body an ample time to absorb it. It is highly discouraged to drink an immense amount of water all at once because the heart may be stressed out and that will be detrimental most especially to individuals with cardiac cases. Besides this, people are used to drink water when they are thirsty. But the fact is you need to drink water, even if you are not thirsty. In order not to be left behind by the required number of glasses of water per day, it is wise to have a sip of water even if you are not parched. Keep this in mind, by the time that you will feel thirsty; you are already behind by two glasses. However, don’t make it up by drinking two glasses all at once because that will give your heart so much work.

Factor 5: Healthy balance diet

It is essential for everyone to obtain a healthy life as well as loss of weight. Most of the people might think that by minimizing their dietary intake vigorously or even not eating for the whole day can reduce their body weights. Some have unbalanced diet due to they are picky or choosy in foodstuff. They will only choose the foods they like such as meat and fried foods because it is more delicious. For those who have this habit, please just stop it as they will lack of nutrients which needed to maintain certain functions and metabolisms in the body. In order to lose weight successfully, you should eat your breakfast which is the most important meal in a day to provide energy and support your body, eat more vegetables and fruits, moderate in meats and poultry but cut down the intake of foods that are rich in sugar, salt and fats.

Factor 6: Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol is one of the causes that can bring drinkers in the higher BMI situation especially for those people who are like to drink frequently and without restriction.  As the BMIs are high which means there are increased in gaining weight. Alcohol is a source of calories gaining which usually people will ignore or do not know about it. In fact, it can lead to weight gain due to its calories contained almost twice as much as proteins and carbohydrates. It may also fail to yield the feeling of fullness and hence make you to eat more. Furthermore, alcohol is absolutely no nutritional value results in there are no nutrients given to initiate body metabolisms. Thus, fat storage within our body cells and tissues is being initiated.

Factor 7: Lack of Physical Activity

Are you active enought? Your level of activity plays an important role in promoting weight loss and to maintain the body health. Nowadays, most of the people are lack of exercise or physically inactive due to packed schedule in their daily life. For those who are working at office, they seldom have the chance to move around since they only do their work by sitting at the same position. People will rely on vehicles instead of walking, spending hours in front of television and computers rather than exercise for few minutes. This results in the imbalance of caloric balance status. Caloric balance is a scale usually used to measure body weight status. The calories intake from food consumption is equals to the calories used up or burns up by normal body function and physical activities, is said in balance status. If the calories intake is more than the calories burn up, the person is in caloric excess which lead to weight gain.

McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Domino’s Pizza, A&W, Marrybrown, Nando’s, Kenny Rogers Roaster and others are one of the factors which lead to overweight and obesity.

Factor 8: Are you a fast food hogger?

McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Domino’s Pizza, A&W, Marrybrown, Nando’s, Kenny Rogers Roaster and others are one of the factors which lead to overweight and obesity. It is because fast foods are more convenient, cheaper, prepared in faster rate and more delicious in terms of aroma and taste compared to home cooked meals. In fact, these foods may lead to obesity as the portion size is large and high in calorie. Deep frying and roasting is the two main methods to cook the food with the addition of unhealthy spices, for instance, MSG, salt and sugar. Generally, fast foods contain a lot of saturated fats and sodium as well as the trans-fat, which is an unhealthy type of fats. Regular consumption of fast foods will have a greater chance to become obese if he or she is less consuming on vegetables and fruits, lack of physical activity to burn up the excessive fats and the basal metabolic rate is low. Vitamins and minerals content are comparably lower than healthier foods. Other than that, it may link to heart disease, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.

Factor 9: How you cook and prepare your food.

Cooking methods are the important techniques you should learn to convert the raw food ingredients into healthy and delicious foods especially for those who like to cook. Just remember that, deep-frying is not necessary because you will waste a large amount of oil to fry, and then consume the oily foods which burden up our stomach and the excess fats will be accumulated and stored in our body. Boiling, steaming, broiling, baking, grilling and stir-frying are the best cooking techniques which use little or no oil to cook your food. This is a healthy way to retain the original flavour and taste of the food. You can also add some healthy spices and herbs such as basil, cloves, cumin seeds, dill, ginger, oregano, parsley, peppermint, rosemary and turmeric in the food to enhance the aroma. It will definitely taste better even though there is no deep-frying involved.

Factor 8: Family History and Genetics

Your genetics and family background is another factor which leads to overweight and obesity. Studies have shown that a child who’s his or her family with obesity background will have a higher chance develop into an obese adult even though it is not predetermine. Genetic inheritance is also another factor which leads to obesity. Genetic influence can be said that it has a great effect on the amount of body fats stored and its distribution in the body. Parents who are obese or overweight will probably bring up an obese child in 25-30% as they share a similar lifestyle and eating habit.