MIRI, Sept 8 — The Ministry of Health (MoH) will soon roll out a grading system for food and drinks in a bid to curb non-communicable diseases (NCDs) caused by excessive sugar consumption among Malaysians, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni.

The Borneo Post reported that the initiative is part of the government’s broader “war on sugar” campaign.

“A key part of this strategy is the introduction of a grading system for food and drinks, especially products high in sugar,” he reportedly said.

“Once fully implemented, this system will display clear labels — A, B, or C — based on the sugar content. These labels will help consumers make more informed decisions by easily assessing the sugar levels in their food choices.”

Lukanisman was speaking at a press conference today after visiting a health census data collection activity at the Jamal Ad-Din mosque in Taman Jelita, Taman Tunku.

He stressed that the “war on sugar” campaign aims to reduce the nutritional burden on Malaysians, particularly concerning sugar-related diseases like diabetes and obesity.

The initiative, he added, would also alleviate the growing strain on healthcare services, which are increasingly dealing with patients suffering from NCDs linked to high sugar intake.

On the health census data collection, Lukanisman noted that the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) is a major undertaking to gather comprehensive health data on Malaysians.

“The data obtained will be crucial for the government and policymakers to develop, implement, and evaluate health policies effectively. It will also ensure a more accurate allocation of resources for health programmes and services,” the report further stated him as saying.

He added that the Institute of Public Health, under the National Institute of Health (NIH), plays a vital role in providing scientific evidence through the NHMS.

Lukanisman further highlighted that several health policies and programmes have already been implemented based on NHMS findings.

“Last year’s NHMS findings revealed a rise in overweight and obesity cases among adults, as well as other nutrition-related diseases,” he said, attributing the increase to the consumption of unhealthy, unbalanced foods high in sugar, fat, and salt.

He called for an integrated and aggressive response to the issue, involving political commitment, ministries, related agencies, and the public in a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to tackle unhealthy eating habits.

“I hope the health census will help the ministry address the double burden of malnutrition and provide insights into Malaysians' eating habits that contribute to the risk factors for NCDs,” he said.

Also present at the event were MOH Deputy Director General (Health, Research and Technical Support) Datuk Dr Nor Fariza Ngah, NIH manager Dr Murizal Zainol, Institute for Public Health director Dr Noor Ani Ahmad, and Sarawak Deputy Health Director Dr Rohani Mat Bah.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/09/08/in-war-against-sugar-moh-to-introduce-food-and-drink-grading-system-to-curb-ncds/149738