Country Profile

Malaysia

 

Healthy Lifestyle: Vision of a Developing Nation - Malaysia

by Dr. Rabindarjeet Singh

 

In an effort to realize the mission of the country to be a developed nation with the coming millennium, various steps are needed to ensure the existence of the society not only from an economic or political angle, but also from a social one.

To achieve the above objective, a high level/status of living and health must be created among the citizens so that the country's social and economic development becomes more meaningful.

In many ways, Malaysia is struggling with the same health issues as industrialized nations are. Infectious diseases are mostly under control and non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, have become leading causes of mortality and morbidity. This disease pattern is expected to magnify with the current demographic trends of aging and urbanization. The costs of health care have been escalating over the past five years resulting in an increase of the budget allocation for health of 17% from 1995 to 1996 (WHO Western Pacific Region, 1996). In order to contain costs, investments in promotion and protection of health have recently received top level political commitments. The 7th Malaysia Plan, covering the period of 1996 to 2000, identified the following national health priorities:

· health problems associated with demographic changes (e.g., urban health)

· health problems associated with lifestyles (e.g., substance abuse, HIV infection)

· new technologies in health

· health care system and industries (e.g., human resource development, delivery system)

· epidemiological database

· occupational and environmental health (e.g., safety, air quality)

On the realization of the importance of healthy and complete lifestyles among the citizens, the government of Malaysia has created a special fund under the Intensification of Research Priority Areas (IRPA) to carry out a research program with a theme of Healthy Lifestyle.

To carry out this objective, The School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia was given the mandate to be the coordinating center for this study with a grant of 4 million Malaysian Ringgit (~ US$1 million). Under this big grant to study the main theme of healthy lifestyles, is a programme entitled "To develop, promote and sustain a holistic and comprehensive (physical, social, mental and spiritual) healthy lifestyle of the Malaysian population to realise vision 2020". There are many studies under this program, which involve researchers from various local Institute of Higher Learning and the Ministry of Health.

This study began in 1998 after a series of discussions and meetings with the various researchers. Topics of discussion were the definition, objectives and scope of study, which were later confirmed and consolidated. At the end of the discussion, it was agreed that lifestyle can be defined as a way of life of an individual or a community that can be influenced by numerous factors such as knowledge, attitude, value, belief, social structure and environment. These components of lifestyle include the dietary habits, work environment, physical activity, sexual habits, family component and religious beliefs. Therefore, a healthy lifestyle is defined as a way of life of an individual or a community, which practices good social, physical, mental, spiritual health, and in harmony with their internal and external environment.

Among the various long-term and short-term research projects that are being undertaken under this program are:

1. To conduct Community-Based Interventions to reduce risk factors for cardiovascular diseases

2. To study the relationship between family lifestyle and family health

3. To study reproductive health hazards and its management in the manufacturing sector

4. A study of working women's health status in relation to lifestyles

5. To study the effectiveness of behavior modification on smoking among the youth/adolescents

6. To study the effectiveness of intervening measures (educational packages) on obesity among school children / adolescents

7. To study the lifestyles of children with special needs in Malaysia

8. To study the relationship between family dynamics and lifestyles and the nutritional status of children in fishing, padi farming and rubber smallholdings communities in peninsular Malaysia

9. Promotion of healthy lifestyle in children

10. To develop and evaluate a physical activity recorder for personal fitness & exercise

11. To study to improve health and safety of oil palm plantation workers in Malaysia

12. To study the effectiveness of calcium supplementation and weight-bearing exercise in reducing risk of osteoporosis in post-menopousal women

13. To study the health benefits of healthy lifestyles in Malaysian women above 45 years old with or without hormone replacement therapy

14. To study the relationship between dietary habits, physical activity and body image with nutritional status among adolescents

15. Prevention of human Papillomavirus infection by lifestyles modification in Malaysian women

It is hoped that the results of this research program will be one of the many human resource components that will be used to develop a healthy and fit nation.

 

Country Data

Population: 21 million

Infant mortality: 11 per 1,000 live births

Life expectancy:

Total: 72 years

Male: 69.65

Female: 74.41

GDP per capita: $10,750
 
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