june, 2019 | The Health
Current News
Changing
Obesity
O
besity affects about
650 million adults
and more than 120
million children, as
well as adolescents
across the globe.
Obesity has reached pandemic
proportions and constitutes a public
health issue worldwide with massive
economic consequences for health
systems.
In Malaysia, the numbers are
similarly alarming – according to
the National Health and Morbidity
Survey 2015, one-third (33.4%) of
adults over the age of 18 are over-
weight, and 30.6% are obese, based
on the Malaysian Clinical Practice
Guidelines of Obesity (2004) clas-
sifications .
Obesity is commonly perceived
as a lifestyle choice by many, but the
underlying causes of obesity is more
complex than that. “Research has
shown that obesity is a complex and
multifactorial disease, influenced by
either genetic, physiological, environ-
mental and psychological factors. For
example, some studies have shown
that people living with obesity, tend
to have strong BMI correlation with
their family members, as compared to
their marital partners ,” said Associ-
ate Professor Dr Alex Tan, Consultant
Endocrinologist, University Malaya
Medical Centre.
Obesity is also known to cause
serious health complications and is
associated with an impaired quality
of life.
“When a person with obesity
tries to lose weight, they may end
up regaining more weight as a result
of their bodies slowing down the
metabolic rate and genetic factors,
in order to put the weight back on.
Dato Dr Tikfu Gee (left), Prof Dr
Alex Tan, Shakir, and Dr Zubaidah
Fadzillah came together to share
their expertise and experience in
obesity.
Today, obesity is classified as a chronic
disease, but we need to work towards
changing the way people perceive
obesity. We cannot stress enough,
that support for these patients is
key to helping them through their
condition”, said Dato’ Dr Tikfu Gee,
Consultant Bariatric & Metabolic
Surgeon, Sunway Medical Centre.
The event also featured Shakir,
a person currently struggling with
obesity and Dr Zuraidah Fadzillah, a
general practitioner who co-founded
Kelab Ideal Unggul Berserah (KIUB),
a community based obesity awareness
and intervention program.
The increase in the prevalence
of obesity is a public health issue
with significant implications to the
individual and healthcare systems.
As part of its long-term commitment
to improve the lives of people with
obesity, Novo Nordisk is partnering
with multiple stakeholders to embark
on its Changing ObesityTM initiative,
to help raise the awareness surround-
ing obesity and help Malaysians better
understand the condition. – The
Health
Glowing for kidney health!
The National Kidney Foundation of
Malaysia (NKF) is turning MAEPS
Serdang into a glowing party! The
NKF Glow Run which is happening
on 20th July 2019 will take the
participants down a luminous 5km
route of neon lights, laughter, sweat
and exhilaration, with a party atmo-
sphere from start to finish.
The event is a part of NKF’s 50th
anniversary celebration which aims
at educating and increasing public
awareness of kidney disease while
raising funds to subsidise under-
privileged kidney failure patients
under the care of NKF. Decked in
neon paint and accessories, par-
ticipants will be transformed into
glowing piece of a moving, multi-
coloured artwork, while make their
way through multiple fun zones
including the confetti room, balloon
field and neon liquid station.
Interested parties who wish to
take part in the NKF Glow Run are
invited to do so by logging on to
www.ticket2u.com.my/event/13418
for registration. Tickets are priced
at RM65 for single participants and
RM240 for groups of four. All par-
ticipants will be provided with a race
pack and all who completed a run
will be presented with a finisher tee
and medal. Proceeds from the tickets
sales will be funnelled towards the
treatment and support of under-
privileged dialysis patients, as well
as funding NKF’s constants efforts
to educate the public about kidney
disease. — The Health
Briefs
Prince Court
Medical Centre adopts
cik kelabu
In conjunction with Palliative Care
Awareness Month (PCAM) 2019,
Prince Court Medical Centre (PCMC)
will be exhibiting Cik Kelabu, a
life-sized baby elephant sculpture
created by renowned naïve Art artist,
Yusof Gajah at the centre’s lobby.
The exhibit will be from the 22nd of
April till the 30th of June 2019.
Cik Kelabu is one of ten life-sized
baby elephant sculptures that was
created initially by Yusof Gajah for
the ‘Speak Up – There’s an Elephant
in the Room’ campaign initiated by
Hospis Malaysia to raise awareness
on palliative care.
It was adopted by PCMC in
support of the campaign.
Alongside the sculpture are
two boards. One details the story
of the campaign and Cik Kelabu’s
significance as well as PCMC’s
Palliative Medicine Specialist, Dr
Nick Chong Chung King’s role in
palliative care. The other is reserved
for the public to display their notes
expressing their thoughts on a subject
still considered to be a taboo by many
in Malaysia.
Palliative care is multi-disciplinary
care given to patients who have been
diagnosed with a life-threatening
illness. It takes into account a patient’s
emotional; spiritual; and practical
needs while they undergo treatment.
It also targets treating negative
symptoms or side effects of the
disease such as pain; depression;
fatigue; loss of appetite; anxiety; and
more.
Empowering
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
patients to demand
more from life
In conjunction with the World MS
Day, Sanofi is launching ‘World vs
MS’, an initiative to raise awareness
around multiple sclerosis (MS), as
well as to empower the patients to
demand for a better quality of life
through the right treatment options
and education.
MS is a chronic autoimmune,
inflammatory neurological disease
of the central nervous system. The
immune system attacks myelin, which
is the protective layer around nerve
fibres. This causes inflammation and
scar tissue, making it hard for the
brain to send signals to the rest of the
body. MS over a period of time leads
to brain degeneration, which leads
to mental impairment and physical
disability.
For MS patients, it is imperative
for them to learn about the disease
and talk to their healthcare provider if
they are not tolerating the side effects
well, experiencing relapses, noticing
worsening symptoms and changes in
physical abilities.
Patients are encouraged to adhere
to their treatment and if they notice
worsening of their disease pattern,
work with the doctor on alternative
treatment options. It is important
to combine medication with active
lifestyle and diet to manage MS
comorbidities and symptoms. — The
Health
05
Say ‘NotMe’ to
high cholesterol
NESTLÉ OMEGA PLUS is bringing
back its 30-Day Challenge this year to
continue spurring Malaysians to take
positive action towards a healthier
heart by rewarding participants with the
most significant reduction in cholesterol
levels. The 30-Day Challenge version 2.0
now offers a complete blood cholesterol
test, or lipid profile, empowering Malay-
sians with a fuller picture to take charge
of their heart health, thanks to partners
BP Healthcare, Institut Jantung Negara
(IJN) and IJN Foundation.
With 47.7 percent or almost one
in two adults suffering from high
cholesterol, Malaysians are becoming
increasingly at-risk of heart disease that
may lead to heart attack or stroke. More
alarmingly, almost 40 percent of those
with high cholesterol are unaware that
they have it. Singling out ignorance as
the driver that is escalating heart disease
cases, the Minister of Health, recently,
issued a national call for high cholesterol
screening, urging Malaysians to take
ownership of their health.
Version 2.0 of the NESTLÉ OMEGA
PLUS 30-Day Challenge introduces lipid
profile management, a more thorough
blood cholesterol test that analyses levels
of lipids or fats and fat-like substances in
the bloodstream, including LDL or low-
density lipoprotein (“bad cholesterol”),
HDL or high-density lipoprotein (“good
cholesterol”) and triglycerides. The goal
is to score significant reductions in LDL
and triglycerides and to maintain high
levels of HDL.
A good lipid profile management
can be achieved through a combination
of behavioural and lifestyle changes,
such as eating a balanced diet, regular
exercise for a minimum of 5 times a
week (20 minutes each) and reducing
intake of fried, oily foods. Additionally,
drinking two glasses of NESTLÉ OMEGA
PLUS daily is clinically proven to lower
cholesterol. NESTLÉ OMEGA PLUS con-
tains plant sterols that effectively block
the absorption of cholesterol into the
bloodstream, keeping high cholesterol
in check.
The lipid profile checks under 30-Day
Challenge 2.0 are being made possible
through a new partnership with BP
Healthcare. The leader in health check
with a network of over 100 laboratories
and 50 diagnostic centres nationwide,
BP Healthcare helps to improve access
to high-quality blood cholesterol tests
for Malaysians taking that bold step
towards better heart health.
The grand prize winner of the chal-
lenge will win a trip to New Zealand
worth RM20,000, while the first runner
up will be rewarded with a trip to Japan
worth RM10,000. Three top monthly
achievers will receive RM1,250 worth
of prizes each that include NESTLÉ
OMEGA PLUS products, IJN wellness
package, BP body composition analysis
and fitness watch. — The Health