15.6 Pct Of Malaysian Adults Have Diabetes, Many Unaware

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 (Bernama) -- About 15.6 per cent of Malaysian adults or roughly one in six are living with diabetes, and alarmingly two in five of them are unaware of their condition.

Health Ministry (MOH) Disease Control Division director Dr Noraryana Hassan said the findings, reported in the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2023, revealed a concerning trend, as 84 per cent of young Malaysian adults aged 18 to 29 were unaware they had diabetes.

She underscored the urgent need to initiate diabetes screening at an earlier age to prevent complications and reduce the risk of premature death among younger individuals.

“As more and more Malaysians are diagnosed with diabetes and its complications, we must continue to prevent the onset of diabetes and simultaneously retard or delay onset of its complications,” she said at Diabetes Malaysia Conference 2025, here today.

The text of her speech was read by the acting deputy director (Non-Communicable Diseases), Disease Control Division at the MOH Dr Nik Khairol Reza Md Yazin.

Dr Noraryana said Malaysians with diabetes are at highest risk for complications such as ischaemic heart disease, stroke, retinopathy, kidney disease, diabetic foot, nerve damage, malignancy and diabetic emergencies.

“These complications reduced quality of life as further organ damage ensue such blindness, amputation, heart failure, stroke with full dependency, erectile dysfunction and end stage renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy,” she said.

Regarding the conference organised by Diabetes Malaysia, she believed it will provide new knowledge and empower stakeholders involved especially at primary care levels.

She noted that said primary care plays a major role in screening for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, but the work burden of primary care has now shifted to treating diabetes and its complications.

“Central to the care of diabetes are also empowerment of patients with diabetes. Self-care such as dietary habits, exercise, foot care, self-monitoring of blood glucose, checking their feet, understanding medications and compliance need to be continuously emphasise when managing them,” she said.

With the theme "Personalised and Sustainable Diabetes Care: Building a Healthier Tomorrow," the conference, held from today until Sunday, aims to strengthen knowledge-sharing and cross-disciplinary collaboration in the fight against diabetes.

-- BERNAMA