Four Elements Vital To Combat Non-Communicable Disease

JITRA (Kedah, Malaysia), March 24 (Bernama) -- Four main elements are vital in order to address threats from non-communicable diseases (NCD) which are inevitable in the country's journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2020, said Deputy Health Minister Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin. She said the Health Ministry's strategic plan emphasised on instilling four elements among Malaysians which were a healthy diet based on the food pyramid, physical activities, anti-stress campaigns and staying away from negative habits such as smoking and consuming alcohol. With more people opting for easy lifestyle choices such as fast food, the ministry feels it vital to carry out health campaigns at all levels starting from school children to senior citizens as NCD should not be viewed lightly, she said. "The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported 50 per cent of deaths in the world were caused by non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and more, so we are actively warning the public of these dangers," she told reporters after launching a Healthy Lifestyle Campaign, near here Saturday. -- BERNAMA