The health ministry is in the midst of establishing 10 integrated clinical obesity management centres across the country, with further expansions to be done in phases.
Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said these obesity management clinics would be supported by structured referral pathways as well as multidisciplinary teams and trained staff.
Speaking at the launch of the ministry’s “My Best Me” obesity awareness campaign, Dzulkefly said this was part of shifting efforts to tackle obesity to a more integrated approach, including pharmacological treatment and interventions.
“For many years, we have been focused primarily on non-pharmacological approaches. While these remain essential, we are now shifting towards a more integrated approach.
“This includes pharmacological treatment and intervention and, where appropriate, surgical options to effectively manage obesity as a chronic condition,” he said.
The obesity management clinics would be supported by structured referral pathways as well as multidisciplinary teams and trained staff, Dzulkefly said.
Dzulkefly revealed that the ministry’s 2025 National Health Screening Initiative (NHSI) found that 61.7% of 1.2 million Malaysian adults screened from January to September this year were either obese or overweight.
He contrasted this with the 2023 NHSI which found that 54.4% of Malaysian adults fell into that category at the time.
“This is a wake-up call that underscores the urgent need for collective action,” he said.
