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Malaysia to Draft Nutrition Bill Focused on Children's Health
Kuala Lumpur, May 24 - In an effort to regulate the nutritional intake of the Malaysian population, particularly children, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is currently drafting a Nutrition Bill. The move comes after a proposal paper on the initiative was approved by the Cabinet, as confirmed by Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni.
However, the Bill will not be presented to Parliament this year. "We have presented a memorandum to the Cabinet, and it has been approved. Currently, we are in the process of drafting the Bill, and it will be tabled once completed, but not within this year," said Sauni.
The primary objective of the Nutrition Bill is to combat the rising prevalence of overweightness and obesity among children. According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) Report, the rate of overweightness and obesity among children under the age of 5 has increased from 5.6 percent in 2019 to six percent in 2022. Among adolescents aged 13 to 17, the prevalence rose from 28.5 percent in 2017 to 30.5 percent in 2022.
To address this issue, the MOH is implementing a multi-pronged approach. This includes the adoption of a National Strategic Plan to Combat the Double Burden of Malnutrition Among Malaysian Children (2023-2030). The plan focuses on strategies to improve nutrition and tackle obesity, with children as the main target group.
Additionally, the MOH has issued updated Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Obesity (2nd edition, 2023). These guidelines cover the assessment, diagnosis, management, and prevention of overweight and obesity in both adults and children.
Community and education initiatives, such as the National-level “Lead Coach for Your Best Lifestyle” (JU C-HAT) Convention, also aim to support the implementation of the strategic plan and promote healthy lifestyles among children and adolescents.
Ultimately, the forthcoming Nutrition Bill is intended to provide a legal framework to enforce better nutritional standards, particularly in food environments that children are exposed to. This initiative underscores Malaysia's commitment to addressing the double burden of malnutrition, with a strong emphasis on early intervention and prevention of obesity in children.
- The Nutrition Bill, currently being drafted by the Ministry of Health in Malaysia, focuses on combating overweightness and obesity among children, which has seen a rise in recent years, according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey Report.
- The Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni stated that while the Nutrition Bill has been approved by the Cabinet, it will not be presented to Parliament this year as the Ministry is still in the process of drafting it.
- The Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for the Nutrition Bill is to provide a legal framework to enforce better nutritional standards, particularly in food environments that children are exposed to, as part of Malaysia's commitment to addressing the double burden of malnutrition.
- Apart from the Nutrition Bill, the Ministry of Health is also implementing other strategies such as the National Strategic Plan to Combat the Double Burden of Malnutrition Among Malaysian Children (2023-2030) and the updated Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Obesity, to combat the rising prevalence of overweightness and obesity among children.
