ASIA: WELLNESS FOR PEACE: Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore Take Action Against Obesity

Southeast Asia Takes Action Against Obesity as Rates Rise : Health & Medicine : Nature World News: "Malaysia recently hosted the 12th International Congress on Obesity (ICO), a discussion about what Asian countries can do to halt rising obesity rates before they become a public health problem that will cost billions to reverse. Obesity, Kehong says, is a high priority NCD now, as every one of two adults in Malaysia is overweight or obese, according to a Reuters report.
Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand have all faced recent rises in the obesity rate.
Beyond hosting last Month's ICO, the Malaysian government has also aimed this year's "Nutrition Month Malaysia" at fighting obesity in particular, handing out "fight Obesity" guidebooks, launching carnivals around that theme, and even funding anti-obesity and nutrition education roach shows in primary schools.



The Thai Promotion Health Foundation (TPHF) has also recently set its sights on fighting obesity, going as far as to ban the sale of soft drinks at state schools. A tax on sweet food might even be in order, if a proposal by the TPHF finds support, according to Reuters.



Singapore too has jumped on the "fight obesity" bandwagon, launching a "healthy living master plan and food strategy" that is helping nearly 700 food outlets serve meals under 500 calories. Simultaneously, the Singapour Health Promotion Board has begun educating people on the importance of maintaining a healthy body-mass-index (BMI) - although the BMI system has recently come under fire in countries like the United States and United Kingdom, where BMIs may not necessarily reflect the true health of young people."



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