Page 70 - AEI Insights 2018 Vol 4 Issue 1

AEI Insights, Vol 4, Issue 1, 2018

Health risks Rank Malaysia
N of replies per cent of
for each total replies
category
Arthritis 7 34 4
Asthma 7 28 4
Migraine 8 21 3
Breast cancer 9 14 2
Grand total 802 100

In general, the respondents in both countries show a high awareness of risks related to being
overweight/obese. As can be seen from Tables 2(a) and 2(b), heart disease, high blood pressure
and diabetes and depression rank the highest in both countries. In terms of differences, the
Swedes mention sleeping problems and infertility more frequently than the Malaysian Malays.
When asked about BMI (Body Mass Index), the vast majority of the respondents in both
countries know what BMI is i.e. 99 per cent in Sweden and 96 per cent in Malaysia. Of that
majority, more than 80 per cent of people in Sweden and 83 per cent in Malaysia know what
their own BMI is (see Table 3).

Table 3: Do Swedes and Malaysian Malays know their own BMI?
Sweden Malaysia
per cent Yes per cent No per cent Yes per cent No
Total 81 14 83 15.7
Gender
Women 86 14 85 15
Men 74 26 83.6 16
Weight
Underweight/
Normal weight
78 22 86 14
Overweight/
obese 85 15 82 18

However, it is notable that the level of knowledge of the diets Glycaemic Index/Glycaemic
Load (GI/GL) and Low Carbohydrate High Fat Diet (LCHF) differs markedly with only a total
of 11.7 per cent and 9.6 per cent in the Malaysian Malays sample who know what GI/GL and
LCHF are, compared to 90 per cent and 98 per cent in the Swedish sample.

The percentage of those who eat according to the plate model in Sweden is 25 per cent and
20.5 per cent among Malaysian Malays. (see Table 4). The plate model is divided into three
parts, whereas two of the parts are big sized (filled with vegetables and root vegetables and
carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, potatoes or bread) and the third part is small filled with
proteins such as fish, meat, eggs or legumes.

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