Health Minister Dzulkefly: Obesity, high cholesterol more prevalent in Penang than nationwide

Health Minister Dzulkefly: Obesity, high cholesterol more prevalent in Penang than nationwide



Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (right) interacts with visitors at the Official Opening and Open Day of the North Seberang Perai Wellness Hub at Sungai Dua Health Clinic. — Bernama pic

Saturday, 08 Feb 2025 4:22 PM MYT


KEPALA BATAS, Feb 8 – Penang has a higher prevalence of obesity and related health issues compared to the national average, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad highlighted today.

English daily The Star quoted him highlighting the state’s overweight and obesity rate which stands at 56.5 per cent, exceeding the national rate of 54.4 per cent.

“High cholesterol is also more common in Penang at 37.4 per cent compared to 33.3 per cent nationwide,” he said at the launch of the North Seberang Perai Wellness Hub at the Sungai Dua health clinic here.

“While high blood pressure affects 35.4 per cent of Penang residents, which is 6.2 percentage points higher than the national figure of 29.2 per cent.”

The report said findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023 revealed that non-communicable diseases in Penang are more widespread than the national average.

Diabetes affects 20.5 per cent of the state’s adult population, 4.9 percentage points higher than the national rate of 15.6 per cent, with 7.7 per cent of cases remaining undiagnosed.

Dzulkefly also noted that Malaysia is on track to becoming an aged nation by 2035, when 15 per cent of the population will be aged 60 and above.

“In 2024, seniors aged 60 and above account for 11.6 per cent or 3.9 million of the total population. By 2035, this figure is projected to rise to 15 per cent, marking a 3.4 percentage points increase,” he said.