The nutrition and health
transition in Malaysia
Mohd Ismail Noor
Universiti Kebangsaan, Malaysia
Noor, Public Health Nutrition, Feb 2002
Table 1. Selected socio-demographic statistics Malaysia (1980-2000)
1980
1985
YEAR
1990
Population (‘000)
Infant Mortality Rate/1000
Crude Birth Rate/1000
Crude Death Rate/1000
11442
23.9
30.9
5.3
12981
16.5
31.9
5.0
14620
13.1
28.4
4.7
20689
10.3
26.1
4.6
23263
7.9
24.5
4.4
Life Expectancy Rate (yrs)
Males
Females
66.4
70.5
67.7
72.4
68.9
73.5
69.4
74.2
70.2
75.0
Gross National Product (USD *‘000)
20,556
28,735
43,046
83,238
124,326
Per Capita GNP (USD)
3734
4581
6042
10058
13361
Annual GDP Growth Rate (%)
+7.4
-1.4
+9.5
+8.5
+8.3
1995
2000
*USD 1.00 = RM 2.50 (1980-1995), RM 3.80 (2000)
Source: Dept. of Statistics Malaysia (1980-2000)
Noor, Public Health Nutrition, Feb 2002
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1961-63
Cereals
Pulses
Sweeteners
1970-72
Starchy roots
Meat, fish, egg
Oils & fats
1979-81
1988-90
1997
Vegetables & fruits
Milk-excl butter
Miscellaneous
Figure 1. Changes in sources of calories in Malaysia, 1961-1997
Source: Food Balance Sheet FAO (1961-1997)
Noor, Public Health Nutrition, Feb 2002
Table 2. Per capita consumption (kg/year) of major food
commodities (1985-2000)
ITEM
Crops
Rice
Vegetables
Fruits
Live stock
Beef
Mutton
Poultry
Pork
Eggs
Milk*
Food Fish
Food Import (USD Million)
1985
YEAR
1990
1995
2000
102.2
42.4
39.7
89.8
45.5
44.3
86.9
48.5
49.9
85.7
52.0
53.5
2.4
0.4
14.6
10.1
11.4
37.2
33.4
909
3.2
0.4
19.0
12.0
15.7
37.7
34.8
1205
4.3
0.6
30.0
13.2
16.4
51.5
39.1
2017
5.3
0.6
35.3
8.1
16.8
53.0
49.0
NA
Note: * Per capita consumption in litres/year
Source: Ministry of Agriculture (1999)
Noor, Public Health Nutrition, Feb 2002
Table 3. Fast food industries in Malaysia – a selected list (2000)
Brand
(origin)
Year
(Est)
No. of
Outlet
KFC (USA)
Mc Donald’s (USA)
Pizza Hut’s (USA)
A & W (USA)
Marrybrown (Local)
Sugar Bun (Local)
Kenny Roger (USA)
Domino’s Pizza (USA)
1973
1982
1984
1961
1981
1981
1994
1997
294
141
85
44
88
45
25
17
Market
Share (%)
45
30
8
4
4
*
*
*
Sales
(USD million)
152.3
92.0
31.6
19.1
NA
9.5 (1999)
9.5
NA
*Others 9%, USD 1.00 = RM 3.80
Source: The EDGE (2001)
Noor, Public Health Nutrition, Feb 2002
% of obesity
14
12
Male
10
Female
Combine sexes
8
6
4
2
0
93-94
1998
1998
(a)
1990
1997
(b)
Figure 2. Prevalence of obesity among (a) children and (b) adolescents
in urban area
Source: Bong & Jaafar (1995), Tee et al. (1998), Ismail (1998)
Noor, Public Health Nutrition, Feb 2002
40
35
overweight
obese
30
25
20
15
10
93-94
96-97
93-94
Female
Male
Male
0
Female
5
96-97
Figure 3. Prevalence of obesity in adult according to sexes and area
Source: Ismail et al. 1995, Lim et al. 2000
Noor, Public Health Nutrition, Feb 2002
Table 4. Basal metabolic rate (MJ/day), total daily energy
expenditure (MJ/day) and physical activity level (PAL)
Subjects
Adolescent25
Adolescent26
Young Adults27
Adults27
Elderly28
Armed Forces29
Elite Athlete30
Age
(yr)
Male
BMR TDEE PAL
12-14 5.08 7.89
1.55
16-18 5.76 8.64
1.50
18-30 5.85 9.40
1.61
30-60 5.66 9.53
1.68
>60
4.92 7.35
1.50
20-30 5.74 12.08 2.10
20-30 6.84 14.91 2.18
Female
BMR TDEE PAL
4.80
5.02
4.77
4.79
4.37
NA
5.39
7.09
7.64
7.58
8.17
6.74
NA
10.67
1.48
1.52
1.59
1.70
1.54
NA
1.98
Source: 25Yap (2001), 26Victor (1999), 27Ismail et al. (1994), 28Razali (1996),
29Ismail et al. (1996), 30Ismail et al. (1997)
Noor, Public Health Nutrition, Feb 2002
7000
100000
80000
5000
60000
4000
3000
40000
2000
20000
Number of deaths
Number of admission
6000
1000
0
0
1985
1990
Admission
Death
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
CVD
Hypertension
Cancer
Diabetes
CVD
Hypertension
Cancer
Diabetes
Figure 4. Number of admission and mortality
Source: Ministry of Health (1985-1997)
Noor, Public Health Nutrition, Feb 2002