She said this was based on the findings of the national health and morbidity survey (NHMS) conducted last year.

According to Kasemani, the obesity rate in Terengganu has been on the rise in the past nine years, having increased from 47.5% in 2015 to 49% in 2019. She added that the problem is highest among individuals aged 25 to 50.

“This situation is quite worrying because it can lead to the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCD), such as diabetes and high blood pressure, which has also seen an increase in cases every year,” she said after opening the Funwalk 10,000 Steps & Wellness Hub Open Day at the Seberang Takir health clinic, here.

The fun walk, which aims to cultivate a healthy lifestyle, attracted 1,000 participants including staff of the state health department and the local community.

In another development, Kasemani said there had been no suspected mpox cases or infection in the state. However, she added, as part of the preparation, briefings are conducted for medical officers and staff at hospitals and health clinics on the possible threat of the infection.

“Following the public health concern issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), the department is on standby by giving briefings to hospital staff. This is to ensure they know what to do if a case is reported,” she said.