Greater attention should be given to strategies aimed at preventing weight gain and obesity. These are likely to be more cost effective and have a greater positive impact on the long- term control of body weight than strategies designed to deal with obesity once it has fully developed. 

The Committee adapted relevant strategies recommended by WHO (1998) and the Surgeon General’s Report (US DHHS 2001) for this section.

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Prevalence of Obesity

The global burden of overweight (BMI 25.0 – 29.9) and obesity (BMI≥30.0) is estimated at more than 1.1 billion. There is evidence that the risk of obesity related diseases among Asians rises from a lower BMI of 23.0 (James et al. 2002). If this were adopted as a new benchmark for overweight Asians, it would require a major revision of approaches in the Asian sub- regions, where a significant proportion of the 3.6 billion population already has a mean BMI of 23.4. In the Asia Pacific region, the prevalence of obesity in men is between less than 1% in China to about 58% in urban Samoa. In women, obesity prevalence is between less than 2% in China to about 77% in urban Samoa. Available local data on prevalence of obesity reveals that the problem faced in Malaysia is more serious than those reported in other Asian countries (Figure 3).

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In some communities even till today, weight gain and fat storage have been viewed as indications of good health and increasing wealth. As the standard of living continues to rise, weight gain and obesity has emerged as one of the most common and serious nutritional problems confronting many communities all over the world today. Obesity is a chronic disease, prevalent in both developed and developing countries, and affecting all age groups. Indeed, it is now so common that it is replacing the more traditional public health concerns, including undernutrition and infectious diseases, as one of the most significant contributors to ill health (WHO 1998). The problem may stem from the limited knowledge of the health impact of obesity compared with such fatal conditions as stroke and coronary heart disease. 

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