PENAMPANG: Sabah has recorded a significant increase in the number of diabetic patients, says state Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Frankie Poon Ming Fung.
He said based on National Health and Morbidity Survey 2015, diabetic cases in the state had increased to 252,000 from 165,000 in 2011.
The prevalence of diabetes among women stands at 16.6 per cent, which is higher than men at 11.9 per cent.
According to 2015 statistics, only 100,800 or 5.6 per cent of the patients are aware of their condition while 149,000 are not aware that they are diabetic and have never sought treatment.
“In Malaysia, the data also showed that 3.5 million or 17.5 per cent of the population aged above 18 are diabetic.
“What is more worrying is that some of them are unaware of their condition,” he said during the state-level 2019 World Diabetic Day event here.
His speech was read by Sabah Health director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi.
Poon said people should adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle to prevent diabetes.