NCDs sky rocketing among young - Dr Lee

KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 (Bernama) -- The 2015 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) estimates that the burden of non-communicable diseasess (NCDs)  such as diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia among Malaysians aged 18 years and above is very high.

Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye told the Dewan Rakyat today that the highest percentage of  NCD was hypercholesterolaemia, with 47.7 per cent of adult Malaysians having this disease, followed by hypertension (30.3 per cent) and diabetes (17.5 per cent).

"The burden of hypercholesterolaemia among youths by age categories is, 18 to 19 years old, 22 percent, 20 to 24 years (26.5 per cent), 25 to 29 years (33.7 per cent), 30 to 34 years (44 per cent) and 35 to 39 years (49.7 per cent).

Meanwhile, the burden of hypertension among young people by age, 18 to 19 years (6.7 per cent), 20 to 24 years (9.4 per cent), 25 to 29 years (13.2 per cent), 30 to 34 years (15.9 per cent) and 35 to 39 (23.9 per cent),"he said.

He said this in answering Datin Mastura Mohd Yazid's (BN-Kuala Kangsar) question during question time at the Dewan Rakyat. Datin Mastura wanted to know what the most worrying chronic illness among the younger generation and its percentage.

Dr Lee said 17.5 per cent or 3.6 million Malaysians had diabetes with the proportion of young people suffering from the disease according to age categories for 18 to 19 years, was 5.5 per cent, 20 to 24 years (5.9 per cent), 25 to 29 years with (8.9 percent), 30 to 34 years (10.6 percent) and 35 to 39 years (12.9 percent).

"The survey also estimates that 17.7 per cent of Malaysians have obese body mass index (BMI).

"Percentage of obese adults aged 18 to 19 years old (11.7 percent), 20 to 24 years (12 percent), 25 to 29 years (18.3 percent) between 30 to 34 years old (17.2 percent) and 35 up to 39 years (20.5 per cent)," he said.

Dr Lee said the ministry was aware of the burden of NCDs among the youths and was focusing on NCD prevention and control strategies at the early stage according to the Life Course Approach based on the National Strategic Plan for Non-Infectious Diseases 2016-2025.

— BERNAMA