Understanding Diabetes Prevalence in Malaysia

Understanding Diabetes Prevalence: The Silent Killer

The term “diabetes” is heard daily and yes, sugar is publicly being labeled as the number 1 enemy and deadly ingredient. But why is it so? What is the importance of understanding the diabetes prevalence in Malaysia? Why is it the “Silent Killer“?

Firstly, consuming excessive sugar can make us gain weight and could potentially lead to diabetes. This occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t use it effectively to convert food into energy. Consequently, when your blood is too saturated with glucose, it can lead to various diseases.

Types of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system attacks insulin-producing cells. This typically begins in childhood, and patients need daily insulin injections to survive.

Type 2 diabetes

Dietary habits and lifestyle are the common factors that cause the development of type 2 diabetes whereby your body is insulin-resistant or does not use it well. Consequently, managing diet and exercise is crucial for prevention.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes generally develops during pregnancy and usually resolves after childbirth. However, gestational diabetes throughout pregnancy and after delivery might be problematic for the mother and unborn child. This may cause preterm birth, excessive birth weight, breathing difficulties, stillbirth, or a high risk of type 2 diabetes development in the future. Additionally, monitoring blood sugar levels is essential during this period to mitigate these risks.

Rising Prevalence of Diabetes in Malaysia

The numbers and statistics from the published journals, articles, and news of the prevalence of diabetes are rising terrifying, and incomprehensible. Indeed, Malaysia has one of the highest rates of diabetes globally and in the Western Pacific area. Moreover, the country is now known as the sweetest nation, with 1.7 million people at risk of diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol levels. [2,6,7]

According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019 (NHMS 2019), 1 in 5 people is affected with type 2 diabetes. Another report by the Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia and the World Health Organization (WHO), Direct healthcare cost of Noncommunicable Diseases in Malaysia, the annual cost of diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease treatment costs RM9.65 billion [2]. Consequently, we can conclude that this condition requires urgent attention. Furthermore, a systematic review and meta-analysis report show that women have a higher prevalence than men [1].

The graph below shows the prevalence of diabetes in Malaysia from 2011 to 2019.

Statistics from the National Diabetes Registry

According to the National Diabetes Registry Report, 2013-2019 from the Ministry of Health Malaysia, 99.29% of 897,421 active diabetes patients in the NDR are categorized as type 2 diabetes patients and 42.9% of them are men while 57.1% are women. The ethnic distribution was as follows: Malay 59.15%, Chinese 19.62%, Indians 13.17%, and others at 8.05%. [4]

Source: National Diabetes Registry Report 2013-2019

Impact on Youth

Diabetes has a long-standing history in our society, but it seems to be impacting younger people recently. Nowadays, adolescents aged 18-19 were seen to have an increase in type 2 diabetes prevalence from 2.1% to 5.5% in 2011 and 2015. In addition, the National Diabetes Registry also reported that approximately 7,600 children and adolescents under 19 have diabetes [4]. Dr. Muhammad Yazid Jalaludin from Universiti Malaya Medical Centre highlights the difficulty in treating type 2 diabetes in children due to the lack of suitable medication dosages. If untreated, these children are at risk of developing long-term complications by their 20s and 30s [3]. Besides, research reveals those teenagers and young adults with type 2 diabetes experience significant, long-lasting consequences by their 40s and suffer a loss of roughly 15 years from their typical remaining lifespan [5].

Business Opportunities in Health Food for Diabetes Management and Prevention

Despite the rising prevalence of diabetes in Malaysia, the health food sector has significant business opportunities. By targeting specific groups, Harvest Group can offer tailored products and one-stop-solution OEM health food services to you. Here’s what we can do:

Develop specialized functional foods containing cinnamon, chromium, or other blood sugar-stabilizing ingredients.
Create low-sugar, high-essential nutrient, high-protein, and high-fiber foods or beverages to cater to various dietary needs.
Offer resources and support for parents in managing children’s diets, gestational pregnant mothers in maintaining energy and blood sugar levels, and others who need guidance.

So, seize the opportunity to make a difference in the fight against diabetes. Whether you’re a healthcare provider or entrepreneur, there’s a crucial role for you in developing and promoting health food products tailored to these diverse groups. By addressing the specific dietary needs of healthy individuals, diabetes patients, pregnant women, and young people, you can contribute to a healthier Malaysia while tapping into a growing market. Start innovating today and be part of the solution to this pressing health challenge!

Conclusion

In conclusion, diabetes is a silent killer that demands attention and prevention through a healthy lifestyle and mindful diet. Therefore, understanding the prevalence of diabetes in Malaysia can help us all to prevent and defend with a healthy lifestyle and mindful diet plan. Read here about plant-based diet is an alternative for diabetes management and prevention strategy. Besides, you can also click here to read about ingredients that help in combating diabetes! Do you want more info about how diabetes affects gender differences? This article is also worth 2-minutes to read!

References

Akhtar S, Nasir JA, Ali A, Asghar M, Majeed R, Sarwar A (2022) Prevalence of type-2 diabetes and prediabetes in Malaysia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE 17(1): e0263139.
Joint New Release | Who.Int 2022. The annual health-care cost of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer in Malaysia exceeds RM 9.65 billion. [online] Available at: <https://www.who.int/malaysia/news/detail/09-08-2022-the-annual-health-care-cost-of-cardiovascular-diseases–diabetes-and-cancer-in-malaysia-exceeds-rm-9.65-billion> [Accessed 3 October 2022].
Joseph, A., 2021. It’s not sweet news – kids are getting diabetic too. [online] FMT – Free Malaysia Today. Available at: <https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/11/13/its-not-sweet-news-kids-are-getting-diabetic-too/> [Accessed 5 October 2022].
Ministry of Health Malaysia 2020. National Diabetes Registry Report 2013-2019
Rhodes, E & Prosser, Lisa & Hoerger, Tom & Lieu, T & Ludwig, David & Laffel, L. (2011). Estimated morbidity and mortality in adolescents and young adults diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association. 29. 453-63. 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2011.03542.x.
Tee ES, Yap RWK. Type 2 diabetes mellitus in Malaysia: current trends and risk factors. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2017 Jul;71(7):844-849. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2017.44. Epub 2017 May 17. PMID: 28513624.
Wazzan Iskandar, P., 2022. Obesiti: 1.7 juta rakyat berdepan diabetes, jantung, hipertensi. [online] Utusan Malaysia. Available at: <https://www.utusan.com.my/nasional/2022/10/obesiti-1-7-juta-rakyat-berdepan-diabetes-jantung-hipertensi/> [Accessed 3 October 2022].

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