Dr Norliza Ahmad of Universiti Putra Malaysia said obese children faced high risks of developing non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer.
“These health complications could affect their quality of life and their ability to perform optimally at work,” she told FMT.
She added that managing such conditions often requires ongoing medical care, which could contribute to a decrease in productivity.
‘Alarming levels’
According to the 2022 National Health and Morbidity Survey, 16.2% of Malaysians aged 10 to 19 were overweight while 14.3% were obese.
Speaking to FMT, Norliza said the prevalence of childhood obesity had reached alarming levels.
“Malaysia has the highest childhood obesity rate in Southeast Asia,” she said, drawing comparison to figures in 2011 which put the prevalence of obesity among children at just 6.1%.
This crept up to 11.9% in 2015.
Financial strain on healthcare system
Norliza said the rising number of obesity cases was placing huge pressure on healthcare infrastructure including hospitals, clinics, and health personnel.
She also warned that the current facilities might not be able to cater for the growing demand of patients.
The public healthcare system also had to bear indirect costs such as the loss of productivity due to absenteeism, disability, or premature death among patients, she said.
“The cost of treating obesity-related diseases places a substantial burden on the public healthcare system because it requires significant expenditure,” she said.
A health ministry report recently revealed that diabetes treatment alone cost RM4.38 billion, while the expenses for heart disease and cancer amounted to RM3.93 billion and RM1.34 billion, respectively.
Parents’ role in combating obesity
Dr Nazatul Haslina Ramly, a paediatric consultant at Denai Alam Children’s Specialist Clinic, said childhood obesity also had an emotional and mental toll.
Obese children often experience stress, low self-esteem, and depression, and are at higher risk of being bullied, she said.
She expressed concern over parents who viewed obesity as a normal occurrence instead of taking steps to address it.
“Parents must have adequate knowledge about their child’s nutrition, from pregnancy through adolescence,” she added.
She said many parents mistakenly believe that children over the age of two still require large amounts of formula milk which she said could lead to an excessive intake of calories and a reduced interest in balanced meals.
Other factors in childhood obesity include early exposure to ultra-processed foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fats such as chips, instant noodles, nuggets, and sausages.