3.6mn adults in Malaysia affected by diabetes

At least 3.6 million adults are estimated to be affected by diabetes in Malaysia, making this country the top in ASEAN and sixth in the western pacific region in terms of number of diabetics, according to an expert here.
This was a worrying trend and not an achievement to be proud of, Obesity Prevention Council president Jong Koi Chong said during the 4th National Diabetes Conference here yesterday.
The most recent study in 2011 showed 15.2 per cent adults in Malaysia had diabetes, almost double the figure of 8.6 per cent in 2006, Jong said.
A major regional grouping, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam as its members.

Another health expert Ikram Shah said Malaysia had surpassed the World Health Organisation's estimation of 807,000 diabetics by 2025.
Blindness, kidney failure, gangrene and heart disease were complications that could be prevented by making better choices, he said.
"Small changes in our lifestyle make a big difference. We should walk more, take the stairs instead of the elevator and avoid fatty foods, especially late at night," he was quoted by national Bernama news agency as saying.