Petaling Jaya: Exercise is important for maintaining physical fitness and overall health and wellness, so why don’t Malaysians do it?
The 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey reported that 50.1% of the country’s adult population was overweight (30.4%) or obese (19.7%).
Similarly, British medical journals, LancetPointed out Malaysia as the most obese country in Southeast Asia.
But why are some Malaysians still reluctant to exercise, despite the staggering numbers?
Life coach Suraya Kulop said Malaysians are reluctant to exercise because of their busy lifestyle.
“Our habits are interrelated with our thinking. When we were blocked, we started exercising to motivate ourselves and spend our time,” she said. Said Sun..
She said it takes 21 days of training every day to get into the habit of exercising.
“Simple exercise means walking fast for 20 minutes 3-4 times a week. Hormones such as endorphins produced in our brain are released when we move, which is me. We can improve our mood, which is good for our overall health. “
Slaya said another reason for disliked exercise was that it wasn’t considered fun.
Nutritionist Reshmi Lanny repeated this feeling. She said that most people don’t care much about their health until they face a particular illness.
“Most people don’t care much about diabetes until they or someone near them becomes diabetic.
“There is a lack of information on how to manage diabetes and (affected) foods should be avoided.”
Reshmy said the company is responsible for ensuring the health of its employees.
“There must be a better way to approach individuals other than organizing health discussions and creating non-updated pamphlets.
“People should be encouraged to exercise.”
Reshmy advised individuals to have a blood test to determine if they have diabetes or prediabetes.
She quoted a study published in Penang in 2020. There, 19.6% tested were diabetic and 10.12% were pre-diabetic.
“Once an individual knows his blood test, he can plan a diet and exercise fitness trainer with the help of other specialists such as a nutritionist.
“A diabetes educator can teach you how to manage the lives of diabetics, including medication, exercise, and checking for signs of foot injuries.”
Reshmi said these pre-diabetic patients are likely already diabetic.
She also said that it is essential for elementary schools to have a syllabus about a healthy diet.
“By 2025, 1.65 million Malaysian school children are expected to be overweight or obese.”
Former Deputy Minister of Health Lee Boon Chye had previously asked the government to allocate additional funding to the national budget to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Common NCDs include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory illness.
“We need to get more support for preventive health care, including business entities.
“Some insurance companies are working together to raise awareness of the importance of health.
“Similarly, there is a Healthy Community EmpowerstheNation program that provides community awareness and knowledge about NCD prevention.
“It has a simple daily exercise that has a positive impact on a person’s health.”
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